to take a general or comprehensive view of or appraise, as a situation, area of study, etc.
to view in detail, especially to inspect, examine, or appraise formally or officially in order to ascertain condition, value, etc.
to conduct a survey of or among: to survey TV viewers.
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)
to survey land; practice surveying.
noun,pluralsur·veys.
an act or instance of surveying or of taking a comprehensive view of something: The course is a survey of Italian painting.
a formal or official examination of the particulars of something, made in order to ascertain condition, character, etc.
a statement or description embodying the result of this: They presented their survey to the board of directors.
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.
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.
the plan or description resulting from such an operation.
an agency for making determinations: U.S. Geological Survey.
Origin of survey
1425–75; late Middle English surveien (v.) <Anglo-French surveier,Middle French surv(e)ier, surveoir to oversee, equivalent to sur-sur-1 + v(e)ier<Latin vidēre to see
OTHER WORDS FROM survey
sur·vey·a·ble,adjectivepre·sur·vey,nounpre·sur·vey,verb (used with object)self-survey,noun
Starting in early 2018, researchers collected survey data and satellite imagery from 36 communities partnered with the foundation and 40 control communities.
Want to fight climate change effectively? Here’s where to donate your money.|Sigal Samuel|September 17, 2020|Vox
Respondents for this survey were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day.
SurveyMonkey poll: Suburbs and the safety wedge|Margaret Talev|September 17, 2020|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.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
Not every customer will choose to participate in a survey, but some will.
How to drive digital innovation necessary during the pandemic|Nick Chasinov|September 16, 2020|Search Engine Watch
The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore was among those that didn’t participate in the survey and went unrated.
HRC examines hospital policies, impact of COVID on LGBTQ people|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|September 16, 2020|Washington Blade
That statistic is based on a survey that includes attempted forced kissing as sexual assault.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Medical University of South Carolina released a survey of 2,000 college women in 2007.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That creates an obvious statistical issue: The results of a survey of two campuses cannot be extrapolated for the entire country.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec. 7|PunditFact.com|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Down 29 percent since 2005, according to a Guardian survey of book authors.
Death of the Author by Viral Infection: In Defense of Taylor Swift, Digital Doomsayer|Arthur Chu|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And survey after survey proves an embarrassingly high percentage of Americans are largely ignorant of how our government works.
Baseball’s Problem Is Politics’ Problem|Doug McIntyre|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have thought it wiser to close my survey with the decline of the romantic movement.
A History of French Literature|Edward Dowden
But then the Survey officer had left out quite a few points which were not pertinent.
Storm Over Warlock|Andre Norton
The survey team even made estimates of sandfall in various places as so many inches per year.
Sand Doom|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Indeed, he began to survey her more carefully, a little through diplomacy, a little through curiosity.
Children of the Soil|Henryk Sienkiewicz
As a result of the survey of this region, engineers have worked out what is called the Superpower Plan.
The Coming of Coal|Robert W. Bruere
British Dictionary definitions for survey
survey
verb (sɜːˈveɪ, ˈsɜːveɪ)
(tr)to view or consider in a comprehensive or general wayto survey the situation
(tr)to examine carefully, as or as if to appraise valueto survey oneself in a mirror
to plot a detailed map of (an area of land) by measuring or calculating distances and height
Britishto inspect a building to determine its condition and value
to examine a vessel thoroughly in order to determine its seaworthiness
(tr)to run a statistical survey on (incomes, opinions, etc)
noun (ˈsɜːveɪ)
a comprehensive or general viewa survey of English literature
a critical, detailed, and formal inspectiona survey of the nation's hospitals
Britishan inspection of a building to determine its condition and value
a report incorporating the results of such an inspection
a body of surveyors
an area surveyed
statisticsa random sample
Derived forms of survey
surveyable, adjective
Word Origin for survey
C15: from French surveoir, from sur-1 + veoir to see, from Latin vidēre