Plural of dragnet; large fishing nets designed to be dragged along the bottom of water; metaphorically, a comprehensive sweep or search that catches many people or things.
Compound of 'drag' and 'net,' describing nets physically dragged through water. The metaphorical meaning emerged in the 20th century as the term expanded to describe police sweeps and broad investigations.
The phrase 'cast a wide dragnet' entered American English when it moved from fishing practice to law enforcement—now it describes any blanket search, but it retains the image of indiscriminate catching.
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