scope

¹

[ skohp ]

noun

1. extent or range of view, outlook, application, operation, effectiveness, etc.:

   an investigation of wide scope.

2. space for movement or activity; opportunity for operation:

   to give one's fancy full scope.

   Synonyms: liberty, room, sweep, reach, range, extent, breadth, ambit

3. extent in space; a tract or area.
4. length:

   a scope of cable.

5. aim or purpose.
6. Linguistics, Logic. the range of words or elements of an expression over which a modifier or operator has control:

   In “old men and women,” “old” may either take “men and women” or just “men” in its scope.

7. (used as a short form of microscope, oscilloscope, periscope, radarscope, riflescope, telescopic sight, etc.)

verb (used with object)

, scoped, scop·ing.

1. Slang. to look at, read, or investigate, as in order to evaluate or appreciate.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to look at or over; examine; check out:

      a rock musician scoping out the audience before going on stage.

   2. to master; figure out:

      By the time we'd scoped out the problem, it was too late.

-scope

²

1. a combining form meaning “instrument for viewing,” used in the formation of compound words:

   telescope.

-scope

¹

combining form

1. indicating an instrument for observing, viewing, or detecting

   microscope

   stethoscope

scope

²

/ skəʊp /

noun

1. opportunity for exercising the faculties or abilities; capacity for action

   plenty of scope for improvement

2. range of view, perception, or grasp; outlook
3. the area covered by an activity, topic, etc; range

   the scope of his thesis was vast

4. nautical slack left in an anchor cable
5. logic linguistics that part of an expression that is governed by a given operator: the scope of the negation in PV– ( q ∧ r ) is –( q ∧ r )
6. informal.
   short for telescope microscope oscilloscope
7. archaic.
   purpose or aim

verb

1. informal.
   to look at or examine carefully

Derived Forms

• -scopic, combining_form:in_adjective

Other Words From

• scopeless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scope¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Italian scopo, from Greek skopós “aim, mark to shoot at”; akin to skopeîn “to look at” ( -scope )

Origin of scope²

< New Latin -scopium < Greek -skopion, -skopeion, equivalent to skop ( eîn ) to look at (akin to sképtesthai to look, view carefully; skeptic ) + -ion, -eion noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of scope¹

from New Latin -scopium, from Greek -skopion, from skopein to look at

Origin of scope²

C16: from Italian scopo goal, from Latin scopus, from Greek skopos target; related to Greek skopein to watch

Synonym Study

See range.

Example Sentences

Special praise goes to Kudrow for the way she broadened the scope of Valerie Cherish in Season 2.

From The Daily Beast

Most of the actions taken by prior presidents were more limited in size, scope and benefits.

From The Daily Beast

The story of Alstory Simon has all the scope and scale, the cruel reversals, and pointless waste of proper tragedy.

From The Daily Beast

“We are talking a very broad scope here,” one senior committee staff member said.

From The Daily Beast

I mean, most people on here are literally openly hoping for the leaks to continue and expand in scope and scale.

From The Daily Beast

Not only do children thus of themselves extend the scope of our commands, they show a disposition to make rules for themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

What are these numerous Acts of Parliament and what are their objects, scope, and intentions?

From Project Gutenberg

Curt as is the cable it has yet scope to show up a little more of our great K.'s outfit.

From Project Gutenberg

A few words will suffice to explain the general scope of those alterations.

From Project Gutenberg

On reaching the front the volunteer captain soon found scope for his pencil.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• breadth
• capacity
• extension
• opportunity
• outlook
• purview
• sphere