Hypertext Webster Gateway: "canvass"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Canvass \Can"vass\, v. i.
To search thoroughly; to engage in solicitation by traversing
a district; as, to canvass for subscriptions or for votes; to
canvass for a book, a publisher, or in behalf of a charity;
-- commonly followed by for.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Canvass \Can"vass\, n.
1. Close inspection; careful review for verification; as, a
canvass of votes. --Bacon.
2. Examination in the way of discussion or debate.
3. Search; exploration; solicitation; systematic effort to
obtain votes, subscribers, etc.
No previous canvass was made for me. --Burke.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Canvass \Can"vass\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {canvassed}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Canvassing}.] [OF. Canabasser to examine curiously,
to search or sift out; properly, to sift through canvas. See
{Canvas}, n.]
1. To sift; to strain; to examine thoroughly; to scrutinize;
as, to canvass the votes cast at an election; to canvass a
district with reference to its probable vote.
I have made careful search on all hands, and
canvassed the matter with all possible diligence.
--Woodward.
2. To examine by discussion; to debate.
An opinion that we are likely soon to canvass. --Sir
W. Hamilton.
3. To go trough, with personal solicitation or public
addresses; as, to canvass a district for votes; to canvass
a city for subscriptions.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
canvass
n 1: the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic
account; "the crowded canvas of history;" "the movie
demanded a dramatic canvas of sound" [syn: {canvas}]
2: an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a
random sample of people [syn: {poll}, {opinion poll}, {public
opinion poll}]
3: a large piece of fabric (as canvas) by means of which wind
is used to propel a sailing vessel [syn: {sail}, {canvas},
{sheet}]
4: a tent made of canvas [syn: {canvas tent}, {canvas}]
5: an oil painting on canvas [syn: {canvas}]
6: the mat that forms the floor of the ring in which boxers or
professional wrestlers compete; "the boxer picked himself
up off the canvas" [syn: {canvas}]
7: heavy closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or
sails or tents) [syn: {canvas}]
v 1: get the opinions of people, for example [syn: {poll}, {canvas}]
2: solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign
[syn: {canvas}]
3: consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to
discover essential features or meaning; "analyze a sonnet
by Shakespeare"; "analyze the evidence in a criminal
trial"; "analyze your real motives" [syn: {analyze}, {analyse},
{study}, {examine}]
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