Library / English Dictionary

INSPECT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification

Example:

audit accounts and tax returns

Synonyms:

audit; inspect; scrutinise; scrutinize

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "inspect" is one way to...):

analyse; analyze; canvass; examine; study (consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

inspector (an investigator who observes carefully)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Come to see in an official or professional capacity

Example:

The grant administrator visited the laboratory

Synonyms:

inspect; visit

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

inspection (a formal or official examination)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Look over carefully

Example:

Please inspect your father's will carefully

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "inspect" is one way to...):

examine; see (observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "inspect"):

go over; review; survey (hold a review (of troops))

perambulate (make an official inspection on foot of (the bounds of a property))

case (look over, usually with the intention to rob)

vet (examine carefully)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The customs agents inspect the bags for drugs

Credits

 Context examples: 

She inspected it with painstaking care, while One Eye, who had returned, stood in the entrance and patiently watched her.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Another night adventure. Renfield artfully waited until the attendant was entering the room to inspect. Then he dashed out past him and flew down the passage.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She left me, and I continued some time walking up and down the passages of the house and inspecting every corner that might afford a retreat to my adversary.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

It also provides for a visualization tool to inspect cluster number, membership, and boundaries.

(Consensus Clustering, NCI Thesaurus)

Whilst he lay there, the people came and inspected him on all sides, and read on his girdle: Seven at one stroke.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Would it be possible for me to inspect the train which contained the passenger who heard the thud of a fall in the fog?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I must say, though, when we walked down to the Ghost to inspect more closely the task before us, that the sight of the great masts lying in the water almost disheartened me.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Mrs. Ferrars came to inspect the happiness which she was almost ashamed of having authorised; and even the Dashwoods were at the expense of a journey from Sussex to do them honour.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Just be calm, cool, and quiet, that's safe and ladylike, and you can easily do it for fifteen minutes, said Amy, as they approached the first place, having borrowed the white parasol and been inspected by Meg, with a baby on each arm.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Before a product can be labeled 'organic,' a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.

(Organic food, NCI Thesaurus)