Hypertext Webster Gateway: "canvassing"
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)
canvassing
n : persuasion of voters in a political campaign [syn: {electioneering},
{bell ringing}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.