survey

From Middle English surveyen, from Old French sourveoir, surveer (“to oversee”), from sour-, sur- (“over”) + veoir, veeir (“to see”), from Latin videre. See sur- and vision. Related to supervision.

• (noun):
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɜːveɪ/, /sɜːˈveɪ/^[1]

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

  • (US) enPR: sûrʹvā, sər-vāʹ, IPA^(key): /ˈsɝˌveɪ/, /sɚˈveɪ/^[2][3]
  • In both Britain and America, the variant with initial stress is now significantly more common than that with final stress.
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)veɪ
• (verb):
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /səˈveɪ/, /sɜːˈveɪ/, /ˈsɜːveɪ/^[4][5]

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

  • (US) enPR: sər-vāʹ, sûr′vā, IPA^(key): /sɚˈveɪ/, /ˈsɝˌveɪ/^[6]
• Rhymes: -eɪ

 

English Wikipedia has an article on:

survey

Wikipedia

survey (plural surveys)

1. The act of surveying; a general view.
   • 1642, John Denham, Cooper's Hill:

     Under his proud survey the city lies.

2. A particular view; an examination, especially an official examination, of a particular group of items, in order to ascertain the condition, quantity, or quality.

   A survey of the stores of a ship; a survey of roads and bridges; a survey of buildings.

3. The operation of finding the contour, dimensions, position, or other particulars of any part of the Earth's surface.
4. A measured plan and description of any portion of country.

   The owners of the adjoining plots had conflicting surveys.

5. An examination of the opinions of a group of people.

   The local council conducted a survey of its residents to help it decide whether to go ahead with the roadside waste collection service.

6. A questionnaire or similar instrument used for examining the opinions of a group of people.

   I just filled out that survey on roadside waste pick-up.

7. (historical) An auction at which a farm is let for a lease for lives.
8. (US) A district for the collection of customs under a particular officer.

• (act of surveying): prospect, surveil
• (particular view): review

survey (third-person singular simple present surveys, present participle surveying, simple past and past participle surveyed)

1. To inspect, or take a view of; to view with attention, as from a high place; to overlook

   He stood on a hill, and surveyed the surrounding country.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     Round he ſurveys, and well might, where he ſtood / So high above […]

2. To view with a scrutinizing eye; to examine.
   • 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act V, page 66:

     […] with ſuch alter'd Looks, […] / All pale, and ſpeechleſs, he ſurvey'd me round;

   • 2012, James Lambert, “Beyond Hobson-Jobson: A new lexicography for Indian English”, in World Englishes‎^[1], page 297:

     By using the same classification system for all the dictionaries surveyed, it was possible to compare the lexical richness of each against the other.

3. To examine with reference to condition, situation, value, etc.; to examine and ascertain the state of

   It was his job to survey buildings in order to determine their value and risks.

4. To determine the form, extent, position, etc., of, as a tract of land, a coast, harbor, or the like, by means of linear and angular measurements, and the application of the principles of geometry and trigonometry

   to survey land or a coast

   • 1960 March, J. P. Wilson, E. N. C. Haywood, “The route through the Peak - Derby to Manchester: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 148:

     The proposed route had been surveyed by George Stephenson and consisted of a main line 41⅝ miles in length with two short branches, to Norbury and Poynton Collieries, and to Chapel-en-le-Frith.

   • 2020 August 26, “Network News: Mid-September before line reopens, says Network Rail”, in Rail, page 10:

     He explained that engineers had been able to examine the bridge visually, and had started surveying likely sites for access roads and where to place the heavyweight crawler crane. NR was also ordering the aggregates needed for the access roads.

5. To examine and ascertain, as the boundaries and royalties of a manor, the tenure of the tenants, and the rent and value of the same.
   • 1713, Giles Jacob, The Complete Court-keeper: Or, Land-steward's Assistant:

     all the Tenants Leases and Copies are surveyed

6. To investigate the opinions, experiences, etc., of people by asking them questions; to conduct a survey; to administer a questionnaire.

• (to view with attention as if from on high): overlook, look over; luster, lustrate (obs.)

survey

1. Alternative form of surveyen