1. Literally, to spread some substance or group of things around (some place or area) with or as if with a rake. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "rake" and "around." Be sure to rake the soil evenly around the flower bed. The detective raked the papers around on the table with her fingers so she could see all the evidence at once.

2. To search through and around some place or thing. I went raking around in the laundry basket for my keys, but I still couldn't find them.