scope

[ skohp ]

/ skoʊp /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR scope ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

extent or range of view, outlook, application, operation, effectiveness, etc.: an investigation of wide scope.

space for movement or activity; opportunity for operation: to give one's fancy full scope.

extent in space; a tract or area.

length: a scope of cable.

aim or purpose.

Linguistics, Logic. the range of words or elements of an expression over which a modifier or operator has control: In “old men and women,” “old” may either take “men and women” or just “men” in its scope.

(used as a short form of microscope, oscilloscope, periscope, radarscope, riflescope, telescopic sight, etc.)

verb (used with object), scoped, scop·ing.

Slang. to look at, read, or investigate, as in order to evaluate or appreciate.

Verb Phrases

scope out, Slang.

to look at or over; examine; check out: a rock musician scoping out the audience before going on stage.
to master; figure out: By the time we'd scoped out the problem, it was too late.

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a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.

place or source of origin.

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Origin of scope

1525–35; < Italian scopo < Greek skopós aim, mark to shoot at; akin to skopeîn to look at (see -scope)

SYNONYMS FOR scope

1 See range.

2 margin, room, liberty.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR scope ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM scope

scope·less, adjective

Words nearby scope

scoot over, scooter, scop, scopa, scopas, scope, scope out, scopes, scopes trial, scoping, scoping study

Definition for scope (2 of 2)

-scope

a combining form meaning “instrument for viewing,” used in the formation of compound words: telescope.

Compare -scopy.

Origin of -scope

< New Latin -scopium < Greek -skopion, -skopeion, equivalent to skop(eîn) to look at (akin to sképtesthai to look, view carefully; cf. skeptic) + -ion, -eion noun suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for scope

Special praise goes to Kudrow for the way she broadened the scope of Valerie Cherish in Season 2.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards|Kevin Fallon|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most of the actions taken by prior presidents were more limited in size, scope and benefits.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: November 23|PunditFact.com|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The story of Alstory Simon has all the scope and scale, the cruel reversals, and pointless waste of proper tragedy.
Wrongly Imprisoned for 15 Years Thanks to an Innocence Project|Jacob Siegel|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I mean, most people on here are literally openly hoping for the leaks to continue and expand in scope and scale.
‘The Fappening’ Perpetuators Have a J.Law Come-to-Jesus Moment and ‘Cower With Shame’|Marlow Stern|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Because the federal government has become so ubiquitous and voracious, there seems to be no negotiating with its size and scope.
America’s Slumbering Secession Obsession|James Poulos|September 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And no one has done more to bring us that critical and creative freedom and enlargement of scope than Remy de Gourmont.
The Book of Masks|Remy de Gourmont
The scope focused first on a bulging, monster, antiquated freighter of a design that had not been built for a hundred years.
The Pirates of Ersatz|Murray Leinster
The Servian Government will increase the severity and scope of its measures against the smuggling of arms and explosives.
The Evidence in the Case|James M. Beck
They got his deposition, because the boy, I know, put his scope on his rifle for him.
Warren Commission (10 of 26): Hearings Vol. X (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
Your request is not exactly in the scope of the reference department, but I shall be only too pleased to assist you.
Martin Eden|Jack London

British Dictionary definitions for scope (1 of 2)

scope

/ (skəʊp) /

noun

opportunity for exercising the faculties or abilities; capacity for actionplenty of scope for improvement

range of view, perception, or grasp; outlook

the area covered by an activity, topic, etc; rangethe scope of his thesis was vast

nautical slack left in an anchor cable

logic linguistics that part of an expression that is governed by a given operator: the scope of the negation in PV– (q ∧ r) is –(q ∧ r)

informal short for telescope, microscope, oscilloscope

archaic purpose or aim

verb (tr)

informal to look at or examine carefully

Word Origin for scope

C16: from Italian scopo goal, from Latin scopus, from Greek skopos target; related to Greek skopein to watch

British Dictionary definitions for scope (2 of 2)

-scope

n combining form

indicating an instrument for observing, viewing, or detectingmicroscope; stethoscope

Derived forms of -scope

-scopic, adj combining form

Word Origin for -scope

from New Latin -scopium, from Greek -skopion, from skopein to look at

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for scope

-scope

suff.

An instrument for viewing or observing:bronchoscope.

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scope

noun