Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Root \Root\, v. i. [AS. wr[=o]tan; akin to wr[=o]t a snout,
   trunk, D. wroeten to root, G. r["u]ssel snout, trunk,
   proboscis, Icel. r[=o]ta to root, and perhaps to L. rodere to
   gnaw (E. rodent) or to E. root, n.]
   1. To turn up the earth with the snout, as swine.

   2. Hence, to seek for favor or advancement by low arts or
      groveling servility; to fawn servilely.

Root \Root\, v. t.
   To turn up or to dig out with the snout; as, the swine roots
   the earth.

Root \Root\, n. [Icel. r[=o]t (for vr[=o]t); akin to E. wort,
   and perhaps to root to turn up the earth. See {Wort}.]
   1. (Bot.)
      (a) The underground portion of a plant, whether a true
          root or a tuber, a bulb or rootstock, as in the
          potato, the onion, or the sweet flag.
      (b) The descending, and commonly branching, axis of a
          plant, increasing in length by growth at its extremity
          only, not divided into joints, leafless and without
          buds, and having for its offices to fix the plant in
          the earth, to supply it with moisture and soluble
          matters, and sometimes to serve as a reservoir of
          nutriment for future growth. A true root, however, may
          never reach the ground, but may be attached to a wall,
          etc., as in the ivy, or may hang loosely in the air,
          as in some epiphytic orchids.

Root \Root\ (r[=oo]t), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Rooted}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Rooting}.]
   1. To fix the root; to enter the earth, as roots; to take
      root and begin to grow.

            In deep grounds the weeds root deeper. --Mortimer.

   2. To be firmly fixed; to be established.

            If any irregularity chanced to intervene and to
            cause misappehensions, he gave them not leave to
            root and fasten by concealment.       --Bp. Fell.

Root \Root\, v. t.
   1. To plant and fix deeply in the earth, or as in the earth;
      to implant firmly; hence, to make deep or radical; to
      establish; -- used chiefly in the participle; as, rooted
      trees or forests; rooted dislike.

   2. To tear up by the root; to eradicate; to extirpate; --
      with up, out, or away. ``I will go root away the noisome
      weeds.'' --Shak.

            The Lord rooted them out of their land . . . and
            cast them into another land.          --Deut. xxix.
                                                  28.

Root \Root\, v. i. [Cf. {Rout} to roar.]
   To shout for, or otherwise noisly applaud or encourage, a
   contestant, as in sports; hence, to wish earnestly for the
   success of some one or the happening of some event, with the
   superstitious notion that this action may have efficacy; --
   usually with for; as, the crowd rooted for the home team.
   [Slang or Cant, U. S.]

Source : WordNet®

root
     n 1: (botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or
          leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts;
          usually it anchors the plant to the ground
     2: (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are
        removed; "thematic vowels are part of the stem" [syn: {root
        word}, {base}, {stem}, {theme}, {radical}]
     3: the place where something begins, where it springs into
        being; "the Italian beginning of the Renaissance";
        "Jupiter was the origin of the radiation"; "Pittsburgh is
        the source of the Ohio River"; "communism's Russian root"
        [syn: {beginning}, {origin}, {rootage}, {source}]
     4: a number that when multiplied by itself some number of times
        equals a given number
     5: the set of values that give a true statement when
        substituted into an equation [syn: {solution}]
     6: someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote
        than a grandparent) [syn: {ancestor}, {ascendant}, {ascendent},
         {antecedent}] [ant: {descendant}]
     7: a simple form inferred as the common basis from which
        related words in several languages can be derived by
        linguistic processes [syn: {etymon}]
     8: the part of a tooth that is embedded in the jaw and serves
        as support [syn: {tooth root}]

root
     v 1: take root and begin to grow; "this plant roots quickly"
     2: come into existence, originate; "The problem roots in her
        depression"
     3: plant by the roots
     4: dig with the snout; "the pig was rooting for truffles" [syn:
         {rout}, {rootle}]
     5: take sides with; align oneself with; show strong sympathy
        for; "We all rooted for the home team"; "I'm pulling for
        the underdog"; "Are you siding with the defender of the
        title?" [syn: {side}, {pull}]
     6: become settled or established and stable in one's residence
        or life style; "He finally settled down" [syn: {settle}, {take
        root}, {steady down}, {settle down}]
     7: cause to take roots

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

root
     
        1.  The {Unix} {superuser} account (with
        user name "root" and user ID 0) that overrides file
        permissions.  The term {avatar} is also used.  By extension,
        the privileged system-maintenance login on any {operating
        system}.
     
        See {root mode}, {go root}, {wheel}.
     
        [{Jargon File}]
     
        (1994-10-27)
     
        2.  {root directory}.
     
        (1996-11-21)
     
        3.  {root node}.
     
        (1998-11-14)