scan

(skăn)

v., scanned, scan·ning, scans.

v.tr.

1. To examine closely.
2. To look over quickly and systematically: scanning the horizon for signs of land.
3. To look over or leaf through hastily: scanned the newspaper while eating breakfast.
4. To analyze (verse) into metrical patterns.
5. Electronics.
   1. To move a finely focused beam of light or electrons in a systematic pattern over (a surface) in order to reproduce or sense and subsequently transmit an image.
   2. To move a radar beam in a systematic pattern over (a sector of sky) in search of a target.
6. Computer Science. To search (stored data) automatically for specific data.
7. Medicine. To examine (a body or body part) with a CAT scanner or similar scanning apparatus.
8. To digitally encode (text, for example) with an optical scanner.

v.intr.

1. To analyze verse into metrical patterns.
2. To conform to a metrical pattern.
3. Electronics. To undergo electronic scanning.

n.

1. The act or an instance of scanning.
2. Scope or field of vision.
3. 1. Examination of a body or body part by a CAT scanner or similar scanning apparatus.
   2. A picture or image produced by this means.
4. A single sweep of the beam of electrons across a television screen.

[Middle English scanden, scannen, to scan a verse, from Latin scandere, to climb, scan a verse.]

scannable scan'na·ble adj.

WORD HISTORY   In the 1969 edition of The American Heritage Dictionary a dead issue was buried by our Usage Panel, 85 percent of whom thought it was acceptable to use scan in the sense "to look over quickly," though the note stated that this was less formal usage. The usage issue was raised because scan in an earlier sense meant "to examine closely." From a historical perspective it is easy to see how these two opposite senses of scan developed. The source of our word, Latin scandere, which meant "to climb," came to mean "to scan a verse of poetry," because one could beat the rhythm by lifting and putting down one's foot. The Middle English verb scannen, derived from scandere, came into Middle English in this sense (first recorded in a text composed before 1398). In the 16th century this highly specialized sense having to do with the close analysis of verse developed other senses, such as "to criticize, examine minutely, interpret, perceive." From these senses having to do with examination and perception, it was an easy step to the sense "to look at searchingly" (first recorded in 1798), perhaps harking back still to the careful detailed work involved in analyzing prosody. The sense of looking something over to find a specific set of things was eventually broadened to include looking over the surface of something, with or without close scrutiny of the details. From this was born the modern usage of scan as a verb meaning "look over quickly."

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(1) To make an electronic comparison of a signal, pixel or data structure as described in the following definitions.

(2) In optical technologies, to read a printed form a line at a time in order to convert images into bitmapped representations or convert characters into text. See OCR.

(3) In video, to move across a picture frame a line at a time, either to detect the image in an analog or digital camera, or to refresh a CRT display.

(4) To search a data file sequentially for specific content.

(5) To search an executable file for a particular pattern. See antivirus program.

(6) To sequentially search for peripheral devices attached to the computer.

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1. Use of a mechanical or electronic device to check for recorded data (as on a punch card or magnetic tape).

2. Casually look from item to item in search of a specific item. See also optical character recognition scanner.

To read through a document rather hastily. In a desk-top publishing computer system, a document can be quickly passed through a scanner and subsequently edited on-screen.

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verb

1. To view broadly or from a height: look over, overlook, survey. See see/not see.
2. To look through reading matter casually: browse, dip into, flip through, glance at (or over) (or through), leaf (through), riffle (through), run through, skim, thumb (through). See investigate, words.

v

Definition: glance through
Antonyms: pore over

Used loosely, this word is sometimes used to describe the searching movements of the eyes, but a usefully restricted technical sense is conveying information by movement (as of the flying spot in a television camera and a corresponding electron beam in the receiver) down a single channel. The receptors of the eyes, the ears, and the skin are parallel channels and do not employ scanning in this technical sense. There is, however, a creature with a single channel scanning eye — a copepod, Copilia quadrata.

(Published 1987)

— Richard L. Gregory

Bibliography
• Gregory, R. L., Ross, H. E., and Moray, N. (1964). 'The curious eye of Copilia'. Nature, 201/4925.

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To mark off lines of poetry into rhythmic units, or feet, to provide a visual representation of their metrical structure.

(DOD) 1. The path periodically followed by a radiation beam. 2. In electronic intelligence, the motion of an electronic beam through space looking for a target. Scanning is produced by the motion of the antenna or by lobe switching. See also electronic intelligence.

IN BRIEF: To glance over something quickly; to examine carefully.

She began to scan the newspaper, looking for the article about her teacher.

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sign description: One V-hand moves up and down while the fingers are pointed toward the flat palm of the opposite hand.

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i. To search the sky for any hostile aircraft. The area of the scan for a typical two-aircraft formation is indicated in the illustration. In flight, the term means “Search the sector indicated and report any contacts.”



ii. To make a sweep of selected flight instruments or an external scene with the eyes.



Two of the techniques for scanning primary flight instruments.
iii. The path periodically followed by a radiation beam. See helical scan and conical scanning.
iv. The motion of an electronic beam through space looking for a target. Scanning is carried out by the motion of the antenna or by lobe switching.



Scanning by lobe comparison.

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For a list of words related to scan, see:

• Procedures - scan: viewing inside of body without surgical incision, esp. by X-ray or CAT scan
• Verbs of Sight - scan: examine or search hastily from point to point

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See words rhyming with "scan."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Scan.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - skanne, aflæse, analysere, studere, undersøge, afsøge, skandere, granske
v. intr. - passe, kunne skanderes
n. - scanning, aflæsning, skandering, afsøgning, forskende blik

Nederlands (Dutch)
aftasten, doorbladeren, doorkijken, elektronisch uitlezen, scanderen

Français (French)
v. tr. - lire rapidement, scruter, balayer (par un radar), (Méd) faire un scanner de, scander (littér)
v. intr. - pouvoir se scander (littér)
n. - (Méd) scanner, scanographie, échographie, balayage (radar, TV), analyse

Deutsch (German)
v. - absuchen, flüchtig ansehen, (EDV) scannen, abtasten, skandieren
n. - Scannen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ανιχνεύω, διερευνώ, (για στίχο) μπορώ να απαγγελθώ έμμετρα, απαγγέλλω έμμετρα, (Η/Υ) σαρώνω (με ηλεκτρονικό σαρωτή), εξετάζω βιαστικά, διαβάζω βιαστικά
n. - (Η/Υ) σάρωση

Italiano (Italian)
sfogliare, scrutare, scandire, analizzare, digitalizzare, eseguire la scansione, passare in scansione

Português (Portuguese)
v. - examinar
n. - exame (m)

Русский (Russian)
изучающий взгляд, внимательное и подробное изучение, прогон, просмотр, поиск (на ЭВМ), бегло просматривать, внимательно смотреть, разглядывать, изучать, прогонять, просматривать, сканировать, критиковать, оценивать в соответствии с определенными правилами или нормами, скандировать, читать метрические стихи вслух, выдерживать размер (стиха)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - escrutar, explorar, escandir, repasar, examinar detenidamente, escanear
v. intr. - estar bien medido
n. - examinación minuciosa

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - granska, studera, spana ut över, ögna igenom, skumma, avsöka, scanna, analysera metriskt (metrik)
n. - granskning, studie, inläsning, metrisk analys (metrik)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
细看, 扫描, 粗略地看, 审视, 浏览, 符合格律, 韵律合拍, 扫掠, 标出诗的格律, 粗略一看

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 細看, 掃描, 粗略地看, 審視, 瀏覽
v. intr. - 符合格律, 韻律合拍, 掃描, 掃掠, 標出詩的格律
n. - 細看, 掃描, 粗略一看, 審視, 瀏覽

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 자세히 살피다, 대충 훑어 보다, 탐지하다
v. intr. - 시의 운율을 살피다, 운율이 맞다, (TV) 주사하다
n. - 면밀한 검사, 체내 방사능 분포 사진, 스캔

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - じっと見ること, 綿密な調査
v. - じっと見る, …にざっと目を通す, 走査する, 韻律を調べる, 韻律が合う

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يمسح, يلقي نظرة عاجله على (الاسم) فحص دقيق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮סרק, בחן, בדק, רפרף, ניתח (שיר)‬
v. intr. - ‮היה בנוי במקצב‬
n. - ‮מבט בוחן, סריקה‬

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