scope

¹

[skohp]

noun

1. extent or range of view, outlook, application, operation, effectiveness, etc..

   an investigation of wide scope.

2. space for movement or activity; opportunity for operation.

   to give one's fancy full scope.

   Synonyms: liberty, room, sweep, reach, range, extent, breadth, ambit

3. extent in space; a tract or area.

4. length.

   a scope of cable.

5. aim or purpose.

6. 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.

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

verb (used with object)

scoped, scoping 

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

verb phrase

1. scope out

   1. to look at or over; examine; check out.

      a rock musician scoping out the audience before going on stage.

   2. to master; figure out.

      By the time we'd scoped out the problem, it was too late.

-scope

²

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

   telescope.

scope

¹

/ skəʊp /

noun

1. opportunity for exercising the faculties or abilities; capacity for action

   plenty of scope for improvement

2. range of view, perception, or grasp; outlook

3. the area covered by an activity, topic, etc; range

   the scope of his thesis was vast

4. nautical slack left in an anchor cable

5. 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 )

6. informal,  short for telescope microscope oscilloscope

7. archaic,  purpose or aim

verb

1. informal,  to look at or examine carefully

-scope

²

combining form

1. indicating an instrument for observing, viewing, or detecting

   microscope

   stethoscope

Other Word Forms

• scopeless adjective
• -scopic combining form

Word History and Origins

Origin of scope¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Italian scopo, from Greek skopós “aim, mark to shoot at”; akin to skopeîn “to look at” ( -scope )

Origin of scope²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of scope¹

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

Origin of scope²

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

Synonym Study

See range.

Example Sentences

This has narrowed the scope of people who will be able to claim compensation.

From BBC

"We recognise that there will be a wide range of views on the scheme, its scope, timeframe and how compensation is calculated. On such a complex issue, not everyone will get everything they would like."

From BBC

The scope of the potential lay-offs remains unclear, but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, which is headed by Vought.

From BBC

“Despite this setback, we will reevaluate the scope as the project is a necessity.”

From Los Angeles Times

The scope of those potential lay-offs remain unclear but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB.

From BBC

Related Words

• breadth 
• capacity 
• extension 
• opportunity 
• outlook 
• purview 
• sphere