Thanks for the suggestions, lem. I did my own search and found something even better (for anybody else interested):

A chrome extension called Context Menus (v 4.1.308)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/context-menus/phlfmkfpmphogkomddckmggcfpmfchpn

Does everything the mixture of other extensions do, and more.

I do use the context menu option right now (it's simpler than highlight to search, though I appreciate lem's suggestion). Problem is, using it makes Opera focus on the new tab. If it would open in the background, then it would be perfect.

Usage scenario: I'm browsing a news site comparing three different products:

'Product A'
'Product B'
'Product C'

I'm intrigued, and want to do a search on each of them. If I highlight 'Product A' and do a context-menu search, the new tab becomes active. Now I have to go back to my old tab, select 'Product B', and right-click search. Search becomes the active tab again. I have to go back to the initial tab AGAIN, highlight 'Product C', right-click search, etc etc.

As you can see, it becomes quite cumbersome. And it draws my attention away from the article I was reading, which is what I want to focus on, anyway.

Using Chrome, I'd just highlight and drag each of the three selections to the bar, have them open in the background, and continue reading. Much, much faster.

So maybe a better question is: is it possible to make the right-click search open in a background tab?

I love Opera since converting from Chrome. It's fast and lightweight and a whole lot smoother so far.

The only feature I can't figure out how to use is drag+drop. I take it it's not supported via the browser itself, but is there an extension out there that'll work for me?

What I want to do is to be able to drag a TEXT selection into the tab bar to create a search, in a new tab, for that selection. I can drag URL links to the tab bar and have them open as new tabs, but not with text.

Help?