| survey | 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. Origin: OF. Surveoir, surveer; sur, sor, over, E. Sur + veoir, veeir, to see, F. Voir, L. Videre. See Sur-, and Vision, and cf. Supervise. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| survey line | A line scribed on an abutment tooth of a dental cast by means of a dental surveyor indicating the height of contour of the tooth according to a specific path of insertion, a line which serves as a guide in the proper location of various parts of a clasp assembly for a removable partial denture. Synonym: clasp guideline, Cummer's guideline. (05 Mar 2000) |
| surveying | 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 Plane, Topographical surveying, that branch of surveying which involves the process of ascertaining and representing upon a plane surface the contour, physical features, etc, of any portion of the surface of the earth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| surveyor | 1. One placed to superintend others; an overseer; an inspector. "Were 't not madness then, To make the fox surveyor of the fold?" (Shak) 2. One who views and examines for the purpose of ascertaining the condition, quantity, or quality of anything; as, a surveyor of highways, ordnance, etc. 3. One who surveys or measures land; one who practices the art of surveying. 4. An officer who ascertains the contents of casks, and the quantity of liquors subject to duty; a gauger. In the United States, an officer whose duties include the various measures to be taken for ascertaining the quantity, condition, and value of merchandise brought into a port. Surveyor general. A principal surveyor; as, the surveyor general of the king's manors, or of woods and parks. An officer having charge of the survey of the public lands of a land district. Surveyor's compass. See Circumferentor. Surveyor's level. See Level. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| horizontal survey | <epidemiology> A study of a community, perhaps stratified by age, sex, ethnicity etc., but at one point in time or over a short time interval. Although a snapshot, horizontal surveys of prevalence and intensity within different age classes of a community can nevertheless provide valuable information on the rate at which hosts acquire infection through time, provided that the host and parasite populations have remained approximately stable for a period of time (i.e. Stable endemicity). Same as cross-sectional study , converse of longitudinal study. (05 Dec 1998) |
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| skeletal survey | A radiographic examination of all or selected parts of the skeleton, as for occult fractures, metastases, etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| field survey | The planned collection of data among noninstitutionalised persons in the general population. (05 Mar 2000) |