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canvass

A canvass is a poll, usually a political one. Around elections, political parties often canvass particular neighborhoods, looking for votes and trying to measure the pulse of the people.

You might think of canvass as the heavy cotton cloth that is pronounced the same although spelled with only one s, that is, canvas. Canvas is used to cover things, and a canvass serves the same sort of purpose. Before elections, politicians want to cover their neighborhoods and districts with canvasses, campaign workers, flyers and the like in hopes of securing votes.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: canvass

1	v n	get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
2	n	a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: canvass

v get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions

Synonyms:: canvas, poll

Types:: circularise, circularize
canvass by distributing letters

Type of:: survey
make a survey of; for statistical purposes

v consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning

Synonyms:: analyse, analyze, canvas, examine, study

Types:: show 29 types...; hide 29 types...; anatomize
analyze down to the smallest detail; diagnose, name
determine or distinguish the nature of a problem or an illness through a diagnostic analysis; diagnose
subject to a medical analysis; appraise, survey
consider in a comprehensive way; survey
make a survey of; for statistical purposes; compare
examine and note the similarities or differences of; check, check into, check out, check over, check up on, go over, look into, suss out
examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition; assay
analyze (chemical substances); reexamine, review
look at again; examine again; audit, inspect, scrutinise, scrutinize
examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification; screen
examine methodically; follow, trace
follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something; investigate, look into
investigate scientifically; sieve, sift
check and sort carefully; consider, look at, view
look at carefully; study mentally; explore
examine (organs) for diagnostic purposes; explore
examine minutely; explore, research, search
inquire into; explore
travel to or penetrate into; analogise, analogize
make an analogy; collate
compare critically; of texts; bioassay
subject to a bio-assay; examine, probe
question or examine thoroughly and closely; research
attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner; contemplate
look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought; groak
look or stare at longingly; canvas, poll
get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions; follow, keep an eye on, observe, watch, watch over
follow with the eyes or the mind; experiment
to conduct a test or investigation

v solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign

Synonyms:: canvas

Types:: circularize
canvass by using a questionnaire

Type of:: beg, solicit, tap
make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently

n an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people

Synonyms:: opinion poll, poll, public opinion poll

Types:: exit poll
a poll of voters as they leave the voting place; usually taken by news media in order to predict the outcome of an election; straw poll, straw vote
an unofficial vote taken to determine opinion on some issue

Type of:: enquiry, inquiry, research
a search for knowledge

n a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)

Synonyms:: canvas

Types:: tarp, tarpaulin
waterproofed canvas

Type of:: cloth, fabric, material, textile
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

n a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel

Synonyms:: canvas, sail, sheet

Types:: show 26 types...; hide 26 types...; balloon sail
any light loose sail; crossjack, mizzen course
the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast; fore-and-aft sail
any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction; foresail
the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel; headsail
any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel; mainsail
the lowermost sail on the mainmast; main-topsail
a topsail set on the mainmast; press of canvas, press of sail
the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely; royal
a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast; save-all
a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail; skysail
the sail above the royal on a square-rigger; square sail
a four-sided sail set beneath a horizontal yard suspended at the middle from a mast; topgallant, topgallant sail
a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast; topsail
a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast; fore-topsail
the topsail on a foremast; gaff-headed sail, gaffsail
a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff; fore-and-aft topsail, gaff topsail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail with its foot along the gaff and its luff on the topmast; jib
any triangular fore-and-aft sail (set forward of the foremast); lateen, lateen sail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean; lug, lugsail
a sail with four corners that is hoisted from a yard that is oblique to the mast; main course
a square mainsail; mizen, mizzen
fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast; spanker
a fore-and-aft sail set on the aftermost lower mast (usually the mizzenmast) of a vessel; spinnaker
a large and usually triangular headsail; carried by a yacht as a headsail when running before the wind; spritsail
a fore-and-aft sail extended by a sprit; staysail
a fore-and-aft sail set on a stay (as between two masts)

Type of:: piece of cloth, piece of material
a separate part consisting of fabric

n an oil painting on canvas fabric

Synonyms:: canvas

Type of:: oil painting
a picture painted with oil paints

n a tent made of canvas fabric

Synonyms:: canvas, canvas tent

Types:: show 4 types...; hide 4 types...; big top, circus tent, round top, top
a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance; field tent
a canvas tent for use in the field; Sibley tent
a light conical canvas tent erected on a tripod with ventilation at the top; wall tent
a canvas tent with four vertical walls

Type of:: collapsible shelter, tent
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)

n the mat that forms the floor of the ring in which boxers or professional wrestlers compete

Synonyms:: canvas

Type of:: gym mat, mat
sports equipment consisting of a piece of thick padding on the floor for gymnastic sports

n the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account

Synonyms:: canvas

Type of:: background, scope, setting
the state of the environment in which a situation exists

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