survey Hear it!

survey definition

sur·vey (sər vā′; also, and for n. usually, sʉr′vā′)

transitive verb

  1. to examine for some specific purpose; inspect or consider carefully; review in detail
  2. to look at or consider, esp. in a general or comprehensive way; view
  3. to determine the location, form, or boundaries of (a tract of land) by measuring the lines and angles in accordance with the principles of geometry and trigonometry
  4. to make a survey of

Etymology: ME surveien < Anglo-Fr surveier < OFr surveoir < sur- (see sur-) + veoir < L videre, to see: see vision

intransitive verb

to survey land

noun pl. surveys -·veys

  1. a detailed study or inspection, as by gathering information through observations, questionnaires, etc. and analyzing it
  2. a general view; comprehensive study or examination a survey of Italian art
    1. the process of surveying a tract of land
    2. a tract surveyed
    3. a plan or written description of this

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business survey definition - business

survey Synonyms

survey

n.

study, poll, critique, outline; see examination 1, questionnaire, review 1, 2.


survey

v.

  1. To look upon

    look over, take a view of, view; see see 1.

  2. To examine or summarize

    study, scan, inspect; see examine 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

survey Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • undertake: In your position I would have a CCTV survey undertaken first.

Adjective modifier

  • geophysical: In the other field the geophysical survey indicated the presence of a couple of features which predated the historic field pattern.

Modifies a noun

  • respondent: This is to ensure that the guarantee of confidentiality given to survey respondents is protected.

Noun used with modifier

  • ordnance: A set of local ordnance survey maps is an awkward tool for discovering the quickest way from Boston to Manchester.
survey usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

survey quotes

He that purchases a manor will think to have an exact survey of the land, but who thinks of taking so exact a survey of his conscience, how that money was got that purchased that manor? We call that a man's means, which he hath; but that is truly his means, what way he came by it.

-Donne,John

Let observation with extensive view, Survey mankind, from China to Peru.

-Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

survey quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"survey." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/survey>

APA Style

survey. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/survey

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