canvass
canvassed; canvasses
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.
Definitions of canvass
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get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
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types:
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circularise, circularize
canvass by distributing letters
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type of:
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survey
make a survey of; for statistical purposes
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circularise, circularize
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consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
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types:
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anatomise, anatomize
analyze down to the smallest detail
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diagnose, name
determine or distinguish the nature of a problem or an illness through a diagnostic analysis
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diagnose
subject to a medical analysis
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appraise, survey
consider in a comprehensive way
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survey
make a survey of; for statistical purposes
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compare
examine and note the similarities or differences of
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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
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assay
analyze (chemical substances)
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reexamine, review
look at again; examine again
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audit, inspect, scrutinise, scrutinize
examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification
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screen
examine methodically
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follow, trace
follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
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investigate, look into
investigate scientifically
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sieve, sift
check and sort carefully
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consider, look at, view
look at carefully; study mentally
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process
analyze or examine so as to come to terms with
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explore
examine (organs) for diagnostic purposes
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explore
examine minutely
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delve, explore, research, search
inquire into
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explore
travel to or penetrate into
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analogise, analogize
make an analogy
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collate
compare critically; of texts
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bioassay
subject to a bio-assay
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examine, probe
question or examine thoroughly and closely
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research
attempt to find out in a systematic and scientific manner
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contemplate
look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
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groak
look or stare at longingly
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canvas, poll
get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
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follow, keep an eye on, observe, watch, watch over
follow with the eyes or the mind
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experiment
conduct a test or investigation
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solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign
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synonyms:
canvas
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types:
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circularise, circularize
canvass by using a questionnaire
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circularise, circularize
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an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
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synonyms:
opinion poll, poll, public opinion poll, survey
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types:
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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
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straw poll, straw vote
an unofficial vote taken to determine opinion on some issue
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exit poll
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a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
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a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
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types:
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balloon sail
any light loose sail
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crossjack, mizzen course
the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast
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fore-and-aft sail
any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction
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foresail
the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel
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headsail
any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel
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mainsail
the lowermost sail on the mainmast
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main-topsail
a topsail set on the mainmast
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press of canvas, press of sail
the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely
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royal
a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast
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save-all
a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail
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skysail
the sail above the royal on a square-rigger
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square sail
a four-sided sail set beneath a horizontal yard suspended at the middle from a mast
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topgallant, topgallant sail
a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast
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topsail
a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast
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fore-topsail
the topsail on a foremast
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gaff-headed sail, gaffsail
a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff
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fore-and-aft topsail, gaff topsail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail with its foot along the gaff and its luff on the topmast
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jib
any triangular fore-and-aft sail (set forward of the foremast)
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lateen, lateen sail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean
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lug, lugsail
a sail with four corners that is hoisted from a yard that is oblique to the mast
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main course
a square mainsail
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mizen, mizzen
fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast
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spanker
a fore-and-aft sail set on the aftermost lower mast (usually the mizzenmast) of a vessel
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spinnaker
a large and usually triangular headsail; carried by a yacht as a headsail when running before the wind
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spritsail
a fore-and-aft sail extended by a sprit
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staysail
a fore-and-aft sail set on a stay (as between two masts)
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type of:
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piece of cloth, piece of material
a separate part consisting of fabric
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an oil painting on canvas fabric
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synonyms:
canvas
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type of:
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oil painting
a picture painted with oil paints
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oil painting
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a tent made of canvas fabric
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synonyms:
canvas, canvas tent
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types:
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big top, circus tent, round top, top
a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance
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field tent
a canvas tent for use in the field
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Sibley tent
a light conical canvas tent erected on a tripod with ventilation at the top
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wall tent
a canvas tent with four vertical walls
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type of:
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collapsible shelter, tent
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
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the mat that forms the floor of the ring in which boxers or professional wrestlers compete
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the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account
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synonyms:
canvas
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type of:
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background, scope, setting
the state of the environment in which a situation exists
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background, scope, setting
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘canvass'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing canvass
Hollow Fires
Seventeen-year-old aspiring journalist Safiya Mirza comes across a dead body in a Chicago park. Because it belonged to another Muslim teenager, the haunting sight guides her to uncover the truths behind the murder of Jawad Ali.
A Kind of Spark
After hearing a story about women in her Scottish village being tried as witches during the 16th century, eleven-year-old Addie starts to draw parallels between history and her own present-day experiences of being bullied for autism.
White Smoke
After moving to a small town in the Midwest, high school track star Marigold discovers that she's living in a haunted house in a new town full of dark secrets.
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