Firefox plugin for convenient Google search for text passages on the current web page

Question

Yes, Firefox already has a context menu item for that task, it works this way:

1. select a text passage of the page by dragging the mouse from the starting to end position
2. press right mouse to open up the context menu
3. select Google search

But performing an exact text selection (1.) on complex web pages can become challenging / annoying, for example: you can not start a selection on interactive items (links).

It often ends up that I type in the passage into the search field (next to the address bar).

Especially with extensive / explorative research, I yearn for some comfort on that issue. So to name my requirements, I'm looking for a plugin:

• compatible with Firefox 27,
• that provides an innovative convinient (fast) way of performing a Google search for a text passage on the current web page,
• you are actually using (it should have proven its efficiency for a longer usage period).

I do not want to restrict my requirements about the interaction metaphors, I could imagine:

• content-based predictive selection on hovering
• free-hand drawing-based selection, combinations ...
• search results popup / preview

Answer 1

Googlebar Lite includes the feature you're looking for:

1. mark the text passage to look for with your mouse
2. right-click, select Googlebar Lite → Search web for selected text
3. browse results

^{Search for selected text with Googlebar Lite (click image for large variant)}

This addon offers a couple of additional features, e.g. search on the current site only, search for other pages linking here, translate the selected text, and much more.

As for how text is selected, I don't see where it makes a big difference to what you've described – which was why I hesitated long before making this answer. Still, as your question stand unanswered for more than two months now, I thought this might be better than nothing …