Survey
(Sur*vey") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surveyed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Surveying.] [OF. surveoir, surveer;
sur, sor, over, E. sur + veoir, veeir, to see, F. voir, L. videre. See Sur-, and Vision, and cf. Supervise.]
1. To inspect, or take a view of; to view with attention, as from a high place; to overlook; as, to stand on a
hill, and survey the surrounding country.
Round he surveys and well might, where he stood,
So high above.
Milton. 2. To view with a scrutinizing eye; to examine.
With such altered looks, . . .
All pale and speechless, he surveyed me round.
Dryden. 3. To examine with reference to condition, situation, value, etc.; to examine and ascertain the state of; as,
to survey a building in order to determine its value and exposure to loss by fire.
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 measurments, and the application of the principles of geometry and trigonometry; as,
to survey land or a coast.
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. [Eng.] Jacob
Survey
(Sur"vey) n. [Formerly accentuated universally on the last syllable, and still so accented by many
speakers.]
1. The act of surveying; a general view, as from above.
Under his proud survey the city lies.
Sir J. Denham. 2. A particular view; an examination, especially an official examination, of all the parts or particulars of a
thing, with a design to ascertain the condition, quantity, or quality; as, 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, as any part of the
earth's surface, whether land or water; also, a measured plan and description of any portion of country,
or of a road or line through it.
Survey of dogs. See Court of regard, under Regard. — Trigonometrical survey, a survey of a
portion of country by measuring a single base, and connecting it with various points in the tract surveyed
by a series of triangles, the angles of which are carefully measured, the relative positions and distances
of all parts being computed from these data.
Syn. — Review; retrospect; examination; prospect.
Surveyal
(Sur*vey"al) n. Survey. [R.] Barrow.
Surveyance
(Sur*vey"ance) n. Survey; inspection. [R.]
Surveying
(Sur*vey"ing), n. That branch of applied mathematics which teaches the art of determining
the area of any portion of the earth's surface, the length and directions of the bounding lines, the contour
of the surface, etc., with an accurate delineation of the whole on paper; the act or occupation of making
surveys.
Geodetic surveying, geodesy. — Maritime, or Nautical, surveying, that branch of surveying which
determines the forms of coasts and harbors, the entrances of rivers, with the position of islands, rocks,
and shoals, the depth of water, etc. — Plane surveying. See under Plane, a. — Topographical
