1. A method of retrieving a record for an item in an information database in response to an input string of target words, the method comprising the steps of: comparing each word contained in the input string of target words with words contained in a search expression database associated with the information database; generating a set of search expressions for each one of multiple ordered queries, each search expression including words from the search expression database for providing an equivalent representation of one or more of the input string of target words; retrieving records from the information database, each record retrieved in each of the multiple ordered queries containing the set of search expressions respectively generated for one of the multiple ordered queries, the multiple ordered queries being arranged in order of a most restrictive query to a least restrictive query; and selecting in accordance with a predetermined parameter a retrieved one of the records that best matches the input string of target words.