n. [ For roomage, fr. room; hence originally, a making room, a packing away closely. See Room. ] 1. (Naut.) A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship; also, the act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage; -- formerly written romage. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A searching carefully by looking into every corner, and by turning things over. [ 1913 Webster ]

He has made such a general rummage and reform in the office of matrimony. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rummage sale, a clearance sale of unclaimed goods in a public store, or of odds and ends which have accumulated in a shop. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Rummaged p. pr. & vb. n. Rummaging ] 1. (Naut.) To make room in, as a ship, for the cargo; to move about, as packages, ballast, so as to permit close stowage; to stow closely; to pack; -- formerly written roomage, and romage. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They might bring away a great deal more than they do, if they would take pain in the romaging. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To search or examine thoroughly by looking into every corner, and turning over or removing goods or other things; to examine, as a book, carefully, turning over leaf after leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . searcheth his pockets, and taketh his keys, and so rummageth all his closets and trunks. Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

What schoolboy of us has not rummaged his Greek dictionary in vain for a satisfactory account! M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To search a place narrowly. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have often rummaged for old books in Little Britain and Duck Lane. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ His house ] was haunted with a jolly ghost, that . . .
. . . rummaged like a rat. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who rummages. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) A person on shipboard whose business was to take charge of stowing the cargo; -- formerly written roomager, and romager. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The master must provide a perfect mariner, called a romager, to range and bestow all merchandise. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]