scope

Meanings

1. The breadth, depth or reach of a subject; the extent of applicability or relevance; a domain, purview or remit.
2. A device used in aiming a projectile, through which the person aiming looks at the intended target.
3. Potential range of action; degree of freedom; opportunity.
4. The region of program source code in which a given identifier is meaningful, or a given object can be accessed.
5. The shortest sub-wff of which a given instance of a logical connective is a part.
6. The region of an utterance to which some modifying element applies.
7. Ellipsis of any word ending in -scope, such as endoscope, periscope, telescope, microscope, oscilloscope, and so on.
8. Any medical procedure that ends in the suffix -scopy, such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, etc.

1. To perform a cursory investigation of; scope out.
2. To perform any medical procedure that ends in the suffix -scopy, such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, etc.
3. To define the scope of something.
4. To limit (an object or variable) to a certain region of program source code.
5. To examine under a microscope.
6. To observe a bird using a spotting scope.

1. A bundle, as of twigs.

Etymology

From Italian scopo (“purpose”), from Latin scopus (“target”), from Ancient Greek σκοπός (skopós), from σκέπτομαι (sképtomai), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-. Etymologically related to skeptic and spectrum.