research

1. (uncountable, countable in some dialects) Diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc. (that are currently available, or that are familiar to one's self).Examples: "In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research, the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance."; "The research station that houses Wang and his team is outside Lijiang, a city of about 1.2 million people."countabledialectaluncountable

2. (countable, dated) A particular instance or piece of research.Examples: "The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries."; "The first step I took in this so necessary a research, was to examine the motives, the justice, the necessity and expediency of the revolution[…]"; "Although very numerous researches have been made on the differentiation of striped muscles, and on the termination of their motor nerve-fibres, yet the multifarious observations have often been too incomplete to lead to any but conflicting and unsatisfactory theories."countabledated