canvass
pronunciation
How to pronounce canvass in British English:
UK [ˈkænvəs]
How to pronounce canvass in American English:
US [ˈkænvəs]
-
- Noun:
- the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account
- an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
- a large piece of fabric (as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
- a tent made of canvas
- an oil painting on canvas
- the mat that forms the floor of the ring in which boxers or professional wrestlers compete
- heavy closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
-
- Verb:
- get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
- solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign
- consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
Word Origin
- canvass (v.)
- c. 1500, from alternative spelling of canvas (n.) and probably meaning, originally, "to toss or sift in a canvas sheet," hence "to shake out, examine carefully" (1520s); "to solicit votes" (1550s). The spelling with a double -s- dates from 16c. Compare Old French canabasser "to examine carefully," literally "to sift through canvas." Related: Canvassed; canvassing. As a noun related to this, attested from c. 1600.
Example
- 1. Instead of walking the tree-lined streets near our home , my wife and I were instructed to canvass a housing project .
- 2. I also reviewed the operations in two other towns that were less well organized and urged the state headquarters to at least make sure they had complete voter lists and the capacity to do the phone canvass .
- 3. When it took weeks for the campaign to vet volunteers in texas who wanted to canvass in nearby states , brady proposed a streamlined online interview format that the campaign adopted , whittling the approval process to a few days .
- 4. Candidates are not allowed to canvass on election day .
- 5. Much of the money he raised online was spent on television advertisements , and activists recruited via websites were deployed to canvass voters face-to-face .