[skan] 
verb, scanned, scan⋅ning, noun | 1. | to glance at or over or read hastily: to scan a page. |
| 2. | to examine the particulars or points of minutely; scrutinize. |
| 3. | to peer out at or observe repeatedly or sweepingly, as a large expanse; survey. |
| 4. | to analyze (verse) as to its prosodic or metrical structure; read or recite (verse) so as to indicate or test the metrical form. |
| 5. | to read (data) for use by a computer or computerized device, esp. using an optical scanner. |
| 6. | Television. to traverse (a surface) with a beam of light or electrons in order to reproduce or transmit a picture. |
| 7. | Radar. to traverse (a region) with a beam from a radar transmitter. |
| 8. | Medicine/Medical, Biology. to examine (a body, organ, tissue, or other biologically active material) with a scanner. |
| 9. | to examine the meter of verse. |
| 10. | (of verse) to conform to the rules of meter. |
| 11. | Television. to scan a surface or the like. |
| 12. | an act or instance of scanning; close examination. |
| 13. | a visual examination by means of a television camera, as for the purpose of making visible or relaying pictures from a remote place: a satellite scan of the dark side of the moon; video scans of property listings available to customers. |
| 14. | a particular image or frame in such video observation or a photograph made from it. |
| 15. | Medicine/Medical, Biology.
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| scan (skān) v. scanned, scan·ning, scans v. tr.
[Middle English scanden, scannen, to scan a verse, from Latin scandere, to climb, scan a verse; see skand- in Indo-European roots.] 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." |
scan (skān)
v. scanned, scan·ning, scans
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.
To examine a body or a body part with a CAT scanner or similar scanning apparatus.
To search stored computer data automatically for specific data.
The act or an instance of scanning.
Examination of a body or body part by a CAT scanner or similar scanning apparatus.
A picture or an image that is produced by this means.