survey

¹

[ verb ser-vey; noun sur-vey, ser-vey ]

verb (used with object)

1. to take a general or comprehensive view of or appraise, as a situation, area of study, etc.
2. to view in detail, especially to inspect, examine, or appraise formally or officially in order to ascertain condition, value, etc.
3. to conduct a survey of or among:

   to survey TV viewers.

4. to determine the exact form, boundaries, position, extent, etc., of (a tract of land, section of a country, etc.) by linear and angular measurements and the application of the principles of geometry and trigonometry.

verb (used without object)

1. to survey land; practice surveying.

noun

, plural sur·veys.

1. an act or instance of surveying or of taking a comprehensive view of something:

   The course is a survey of Italian painting.

2. a formal or official examination of the particulars of something, made in order to ascertain condition, character, etc.
3. a statement or description embodying the result of this:

   They presented their survey to the board of directors.

4. a sampling, or partial collection, of facts, figures, or opinions taken and used to approximate or indicate what a complete collection and analysis might reveal:

   The survey showed the percentage of the population that planned to vote.

5. the act of determining the exact form, boundaries, position, etc., as of a tract of land or section of a country, by linear measurements, angular measurements, etc.
6. the plan or description resulting from such an operation.
7. an agency for making determinations:

   U.S. Geological Survey.

survey.

²

abbreviation for

1. surveying.

survey

verb

1. tr to view or consider in a comprehensive or general way

   to survey the situation

2. tr to examine carefully, as or as if to appraise value

   to survey oneself in a mirror

3. to plot a detailed map of (an area of land) by measuring or calculating distances and height
4. to inspect a building to determine its condition and value
5. to examine a vessel thoroughly in order to determine its seaworthiness
6. tr to run a statistical survey on (incomes, opinions, etc)

noun

1. a comprehensive or general view

   a survey of English literature

2. a critical, detailed, and formal inspection

   a survey of the nation's hospitals

3. an inspection of a building to determine its condition and value
4. a report incorporating the results of such an inspection
5. 1. a body of surveyors
   2. an area surveyed
6. statistics a random sample

Derived Forms

• surˈveyable, adjective

Other Words From

• sur·veya·ble adjective
• pre·survey noun
• presur·vey verb (used with object)
• self-survey noun
• self-sur·veyed adjective
• unsur·veya·ble adjective
• unsur·veyed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of survey¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English surveien (verb), from Anglo-French surveier, Middle French surv(e)ier, surveoir “to oversee,” from sur- sur- ¹ + v(e)ier “to see” (from Latin vidēre; video ( def ), vision ( def ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of survey¹

C15: from French surveoir, from sur- ¹+ veoir to see, from Latin vidēre

Example Sentences

Starting in early 2018, researchers collected survey data and satellite imagery from 36 communities partnered with the foundation and 40 control communities.

From Vox

Respondents for this survey were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day.

From Axios

According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, nearly half of registered voters expect casting their ballots will be difficult, a 34-point increase since the 2018 midterms.

From ProPublica

Not every customer will choose to participate in a survey, but some will.

From Search Engine Watch

The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was among those that didn’t participate in the survey and went unrated.

From Washington Blade

Hispanics, notes a recent Pew survey economic issues easily trump immigration.

From The Daily Beast

This study uses the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which is really a tool that tracks crimes.

From The Daily Beast

That statistic is based on a survey that includes attempted forced kissing as sexual assault.

From The Daily Beast

The Medical University of South Carolina released a survey of 2,000 college women in 2007.

From The Daily Beast

That creates an obvious statistical issue: The results of a survey of two campuses cannot be extrapolated for the entire country.

From The Daily Beast

He scratched his head, scrutinized the article he had been perusing, and took a graceful survey of the paper.

From Project Gutenberg

"I thought probably some more of our friends would show up," he said, after a quick survey.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon the geographical positions of the fixed points of the survey.

From Project Gutenberg

At last a servant-girl came to the open door with a broom in her hand to survey the aspect of things in general.

From Project Gutenberg

Suppose the grantor has declared in his deed that the land contains a hundred acres and a survey finds only fifty.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assess
• canvass
• check
• check out
• estimate
• evaluate
• examine
• inspect
• look over
• observe
• overlook
• oversee
• review
• scan
• supervise