search carelessly

[/sɜːrtʃ ˈkeərləsli/]
verb phrase
procurar descuidadamente
1. to look for something in a hurried, inattentive, or haphazard manner without proper care or attention to detail
He searched carelessly through the drawer and missed the important document.
Ele procurou descuidadamente na gaveta e perdeu o documento importante.
2. to examine or investigate something without thoroughness or diligence
The inspector searched carelessly and failed to find any evidence.
O inspetor procurou descuidadamente e não encontrou nenhuma evidência.
This phrase is commonly used in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese to describe everyday situations where someone is not being diligent in their search efforts. In Brazilian culture, it's often used humorously when someone doesn't look hard enough for something before claiming it's lost. The phrase reflects universal human behavior of impatience and lack of thoroughness.
NYC Slang
half-ass search or sloppy search
Synonyms / Sinônimos
rummage hastilyhunt superficiallylook haphazardlybrowse carelesslyscan negligently
Antonyms / Antônimos
search thoroughlyhunt meticulouslyexamine carefullyinvestigate diligentlyscrutinize closely

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
procurar descuidadamente
standard usage
Rio de Janeiro
procurar sem cuidado
more colloquial variant
São Paulo
vasculhar descuidadamente
more informal, emphasizes rough searching
Portugal
procurar negligentemente
more formal alternative

Related Words

rummageforagescourransackfumble

Related Idioms & Phrases

search high and low
turn something upside down
look for a needle in a haystack
search in vain
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