Using Google Operators/Commands To Find Stuff Faster

Posted Sep 2, 2008 | by Rich Menga  

image The search engine Google has a ton of different operators you can use to find stuff faster and easier. I will say up front that only the very few have all of them committed to memory (and if you do, you use Google way too much). :-) No, you don’t have to know all of them. However there are a few you can commit to memory that will help you out quite a bit.

site:

This is a query modifier. In plain English this means "search [this] specific site for [this word/phrase]".

For example, if you wanted to search pcmech.com via Google for the word computer, the Google search is:

computer site:pcmech.com

You don’t have to use www. Just the domain (that being pcmech.com).

Here’s another example:

stayin’ alive lyircs site:lyricsfreak.com

This will search the site lyricsfreak.com for the lyrics to the song Stayin’ Alive.

define:, what is, what are

In plain English this is a dictionary search via Google.

Example:

define:computer

or

what is computer

or

what are computers

Google will go out and find a definition for the word computer.

Note, define: is the best one to use.

weather

A quick way to get a weather forecast from Google.

Example:

weather Tampa FL

or

weather 33617

Note that there is no colon sign (:) with the weather command.

If you want to see the huge list of stuff you can do with Google, a comprehensive guide is here.

Which Of These Traits Applies To YOUR Computing Life?...

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