browse

v. To review in a casual manner. To scan a list or document. To download and view information from the World Wide Web through the use of a browser.

Notes

Browsing1 connotes a process that is random and opportunistic, suggesting the sense of stumbling onto something desirable by serendipity. However, browsing2 may be systematic. It can be distinguished from searching by the fact that browsing is the process of discovery through a careful review of information in hopes of spotting something interesting because it triggers an association. Searching, on the other hand is a process of inquiry that is based on specific, known concepts or terms.