shopping around

Verb

shop around (third-person singular simple present shops around, present participle shopping around, simple past and past participle shopped around)

1. (intransitive) To actively search and compare options before making a selection or choice of vendor.
   • He's gone to shop around for a new car.
2. (intransitive) To actively make a search for an alternative choice of something one has, owns, or wants, without it necessarily involving buying or selling anything.
   • She's shopping around for a new boyfriend.
3. (transitive) To put something out on offer to multiple parties in the hope one will choose it.
   • He's shopping around his book to several studios. He hopes to get a movie deal.