noun
Refers to the act of looking up information in a reference source such as a dictionary, address list, or database. Often used in technical or clerical contexts.
辞書で単語を正引きする。
I look up a word in the dictionary.
名簿から住所を正引きするのに時間がかかった。
It took time to look up the address from the roster.
逆引き means reverse lookup (e.g., finding a word from its definition), while 正引き is a standard forward lookup.
Compound of 正 (correct, proper) and 引き (pulling, looking up). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in modern Japanese for standard reference lookups.