look-over

American  

[look-oh-ver] / ˈlɒɒkˌoʊ vər /

noun

1. a brief or superficial examination or reading.

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look over British  

verb

1. (intr, preposition) to inspect by making a tour of (a factory, house, etc)

   we looked over the country house

2. (tr, adverb) to examine (a document, letter, etc)

   please look the papers over quickly

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noun

1. an inspection: often, specifically, a brief or cursory one

look over Idioms  

1. Also, look up and down. Examine or inspect something or someone. For example, Jerry was looking over the books when he found an error, or They looked the new boy up and down. The first expression dates from the mid-1400s, the variant from the late 1800s.

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Etymology

Origin of look-over

First recorded in 1905–10; noun use of verb phrase look over

Example Sentences

“We have probably 160 lawyers” giving the film a look-over, said Sheila Nevins, HBO’s documentary film president, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

From Washington Times • Nov. 28, 2014

The town houses of Georgetown and Cleveland Park are getting a look-over, says Robinson, although many frugal Democrats may end up settling in the less pricey suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.

From Time Magazine Archive

A month ago, an aide strongly recommended Gardner to Johnson as a replacement for Celebrezze�and Gardner started undergoing the well-known Lyndon look-over.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then I passed up the can o' paint, an' took a stroll around to see that no one had been givin' us the look-over.

From Happy Hawkins by Wason, Robert Alexander

The bar-keeper gave the stranger a look-over and said to him:— "I guess we're too high for you."

From Captains of Industry or, Men of Business Who Did Something Besides Making Money by Parton, James

Related Words

• audit
• check
• check out
• consider
• criticize
• delve into
• explore
• inspect
• investigate
• ponder
• pore over
• probe
• read
• research
• review
• scan
• screen
• scrutinize
• study
• survey