[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sought.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / sought

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# sought

«sought» in Mova's school dictionary: **Looked for or searched for** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb, past tense and past participle of «seek» (seek, seeks, sought, seeking); adjective in «sought-after»

### meaning for a pupil

1) Looked for or searched for. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#m1)

2) Tried to get or achieve something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#m2)

3) Asked for, as in sought advice or sought help. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#m3)

4) «Sought-after» means wanted by many people, popular. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

It is a formal or story word; in everyday talk people usually say «looked for» or «tried». In stories and history it shows a quest: «the knights sought the treasure». In news and formal writing: «police sought witnesses». Phrases: «sought help», «sought advice», «sought refuge», «much sought-after».

### examples

- The explorers sought a way across the mountains. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x1)
- She sought help from her teacher when she was stuck. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x2)
- They sought shelter from the rain under a tree. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x3)
- The police sought anyone who had seen the accident. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x4)
- These old cards are much sought-after by collectors. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x5)
- He sought to make friends at his new school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x6)
- The villagers sought advice from the wise old woman. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x7)
- The more he sought the less he found. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/#x8)

### note

«Seek» is irregular: seek → sought → sought (not «seeked»). «Sought» rhymes with «caught» and «thought». Do not confuse it with «sort» (a kind, or to put in order), which sounds the same in many British accents.

### In the corpora

- [The child's wishes and feelings will be sought.» He has no idea what it means.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/520-living-in-a-childrens-home/35/)
- [Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/EXO.40/)
- [But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.427/)
- [And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/1SA.678/)
- [And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath; and he sought no more again for him.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/1SA.799/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «sought» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sought/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.