1root 
/ˈru:t/ noun
plural roots /ˈru:t/ noun 1 [count] : the part of a plant that grows underground, gets water from the ground, and holds the plant in place
▪ Elm trees have shallow roots. ▪ Pull weeds up by the roots so that they don't grow back. — see color picture 2 [count] : the part of a tooth, hair, fingernail, etc., that is attached to the body
▪ You can tell that she dyes her hair blonde because her dark roots are showing. 3 [count] a : the cause or source of something — usually singular ▪ He believes that money is the root of all evil. [=money causes people to do bad things] ▪ We need to get to the root of the problem. = We need to get to the root cause of the problem. ▪ Simple greed was at the root of the robbery. [=was the reason for the robbery]
b : the origin of something — usually plural ▪ Rock-and-roll music has its roots in blues music. [=rock-and-roll music originated/developed from blues music] 4 roots [plural] a : the family history of a person or a group of people
▪ They have traced their roots [=ancestry] back several generations.
b : a special connection to something — + in ▪ She's a dedicated teacher with roots in the community. ▪ His family has roots in the New York theater scene. ▪ a novelist with roots deep in Southern life — see also grass roots 5 [count] mathematics : a number that is multiplied by itself a certain number of times to produce another number
▪ 2 is the 4th root of 16. [=2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 16] — see also cube root, square root 6 [count] : a word from which other words are formed
▪ “Butler” and “bottle” come from the same Latin root. ▪ “Hold” is the root of “holder.”
▪ Elm trees have shallow roots. ▪ Pull weeds up by the roots so that they don't grow back. — see color picture
▪ You can tell that she dyes her hair blonde because her dark roots are showing.
b : the origin of something — usually plural ▪ Rock-and-roll music has its roots in blues music. [=rock-and-roll music originated/developed from blues music]
▪ They have traced their roots [=ancestry] back several generations.
b : a special connection to something — + in ▪ She's a dedicated teacher with roots in the community. ▪ His family has roots in the New York theater scene. ▪ a novelist with roots deep in Southern life — see also grass roots
▪ 2 is the 4th root of 16. [=2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 16] — see also cube root, square root
▪ “Butler” and “bottle” come from the same Latin root. ▪ “Hold” is the root of “holder.”
put down roots
: to become a member of a community and begin to feel that it is your home : to settle and live in one place
▪ The family put down roots in New England. [=they made New England their home]
▪ The family put down roots in New England. [=they made New England their home]
root and branch
chiefly Brit 1 : complete or thorough
▪ a root and branch overhaul of local schools 2 : completely or thoroughly
▪ The laws were reformed root and branch.
▪ a root and branch overhaul of local schools
▪ The laws were reformed root and branch.
take root 1 of a plant : to grow and develop roots
▪ There isn't enough time for the grass to take root before winter. 2 : to begin to develop
▪ The classroom should be a place where creativity can take root and flourish. ▪ It was years before democratic ideals took root in that part of the world.
▪ There isn't enough time for the grass to take root before winter.
▪ The classroom should be a place where creativity can take root and flourish. ▪ It was years before democratic ideals took root in that part of the world.
