English Reference

Word

survey

Phoneticssur·vey

/ˈsɝˌveɪ/

Definitions

01a questionnaire

A2

n. a set of questions you ask many people to find out their opinions or habits.

n. a research method used for collecting data from a predefined group of respondents to gain information and insights into various topics.

“The company sent out a customer satisfaction survey to see how people liked the new app.”

“The recent national survey indicates a significant shift in public opinion regarding environmental policy among younger demographics.”

General-service

02inspection of a building

B2

n. a careful examination of a house or building to check its condition.

n. a detailed inspection of a property's condition, typically conducted by a professional before a sale is finalised.

“Before buying the old house, we paid for a professional survey to check the roof.”

“The structural survey revealed several underlying issues with the foundations that the initial viewing had failed to uncover.”

British English

03measuring land

B2 · Science

n. the act of measuring an area of land to make a map or find boundaries.

n. the process of determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them.

“The government ordered a new survey of the coast to update the official maps.”

“A geological survey was commissioned to determine the viability of the site for the proposed hydroelectric dam.”

Technical

04to ask questions

B1

v. to ask a group of people questions to collect information.

v. to investigate the opinions or experiences of a group by means of a questionnaire or interview.

“Researchers surveyed over one thousand students about their sleeping habits.”

“The marketing department surveyed a broad cross-section of the population to gauge interest in the upcoming product launch.”

05to look at carefully

B2

v. to look at or examine something carefully from a distance.

v. to scan or view an area or situation comprehensively to form a general impression.

“The captain stood on the deck to survey the horizon for any signs of other ships.”

“From the hilltop, the general surveyed the valley below, carefully noting the enemy's defensive positions before the sun went down.”

Etymology

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.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Collocations

survey datasurvey foundhealth surveysurvey showssurvey publishedsurvey showedsurveyed peoplesurveys conducted

Word family

Idioms

king of all one surveys — Possessing governing authority over a range of territory; having decisive control or oversight over all major matters within one's ambit of influence; having a satisfying position of respected leadership or comfortable prestige.

This entry

Level
A2 · Elementary
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference