ADJ

deep, shallow
gnarled

ROOT + VERB

develop, grow
put down, take
I hope those cuttings will take root

ROOT + NOUN

system
crops, vegetables

PREP

by its/the ~s
She pulled the shrub out by its roots

ADJ

humble
Despite his wealth, he never forgot his humble roots
cultural
severed from our cultural roots by industrialization
middle-class, peasant, working-class
French, Scottish, etc.

VERB + ROOT

get/go back to, return to
My husband wants to go back to his Irish roots
trace
They can trace their roots back to the sixteenth century
put down
We haven't been here long enough to put down roots
cut yourself off from

ADJ

deep
very
common
The two languages share a common root
historical

VERB + ROOT

have
get at/to, go to
I've spent months trying to get to the root of the problem
lie at

ROOT + NOUN

cause

PREP

at (the ~ of)
It is a moral question at root. His fears of loneliness lay at the very root of his inability to leave
~ in
The unrest has roots in religious differences

PHRASES

the root of all evil
They consider globalization to be the root of all evil
the root of the matter/problem
I expect money is at the root of the matter