1. A method to search audio data, comprising: receiving audio data representing speech; receiving a search query related to the audio data; compiling, by use of a processor, the search query into a hierarchy of scored speech recognition sub-searches; searching, by use of an audio search engine operating in an audio domain, the audio data for speech identified by one or more of the sub-searches to produce hits; scoring the speech recognition by use of a soft time window, wherein the soft time window comprises a window definable by a spline function; and combining, by use of a processor, the hits by use of at least one combination function to provide a composite search score of the audio data, wherein at least one of the combination functions comprises an at-least-M-of-N function, wherein the at-least-M-of-N function produces a high score when at least M members found within a set having membership size of N exceed a predetermined threshold value, wherein N is greater than or equal to M.