Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - survey

 I. verb  (~ed; ~ing)  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French surveer, to look over, from sur- + veer to see — more at view  Date: 15th century  transitive verb  1.  a. to examine as to condition, situation, or value ; appraise  b. to query (someone) in order to collect data for the analysis of some aspect of a group or area  2. to determine and delineate the form, extent, and position of (as a tract of land) by taking linear and angular measurements and by applying the principles of geometry and trigonometry  3. to view or consider comprehensively  4. inspect, scrutinize he ~ed us in a lordly way — Alan Harrington  intransitive verb to make a ~  II. noun  (plural ~s)  Date: 1548  1. the act or an instance of ~ing: as  a. a broad treatment of a subject  b. poll 5a  2. something that is ~ed