SCOPE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does scope mean? 

• SCOPE (noun)
  The noun SCOPE has 4 senses:

1. an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:

2. the state of the environment in which a situation exists

3. a magnifier of images of distant objects

4. electronic equipment that provides visual images of varying electrical quantities

  Familiarity information: SCOPE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCOPE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An area in which something acts or operates or has power or control:

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

ambit; compass; orbit; range; reach; scope

Context example:

in the political orbit of a world power

Hypernyms ("scope" is a kind of...):

extent (the distance or area or volume over which something extends)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "scope"):

contrast (the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness))

palette; pallet (the range of colour characteristic of a particular artist or painting or school of art)

spectrum (a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities)

gamut (a complete extent or range:)

expanse; sweep (a wide scope)

horizon; purview; view (the range of interest or activity that can be anticipated)

latitude (scope for freedom of e.g. action or thought; freedom from restriction)

internationalism; internationality (quality of being international in scope)

confines (a bounded scope)

approximate range; ballpark (near to the scope or range of something)

Derivation:

scopal (of or relating to scope)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The state of the environment in which a situation exists

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

background; scope; setting

Context example:

you can't do that in a university setting

Hypernyms ("scope" is a kind of...):

environment (the totality of surrounding conditions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "scope"):

canvas; canvass (the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account)

show window; showcase (a setting in which something can be displayed to best effect)

Derivation:

scopal (of or relating to scope)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A magnifier of images of distant objects

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

scope; telescope

Hypernyms ("scope" is a kind of...):

magnifier (a scientific instrument that magnifies an image)

Meronyms (parts of "scope"):

aperture (a device that controls amount of light admitted)

finder; view finder; viewfinder (optical device that helps a user to find the target of interest)

optical prism; prism (optical device having a triangular shape and made of glass or quartz; used to deviate a beam or invert an image)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "scope"):

astronomical telescope (any telescope designed to collect and record electromagnetic radiation from cosmic sources)

collimator (a small telescope attached to a large telescope to use in setting the line of the larger one)

equatorial (a telescope whose mounting has only two axes of motion, one parallel to the Earth's axis and the other one at right angles to it)

solar telescope (a telescope designed to make observations of the sun)

transit instrument (a telescope mounted on an axis running east and west and used to time the transit of a celestial body across the meridian)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Electronic equipment that provides visual images of varying electrical quantities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

cathode-ray oscilloscope; CRO; oscilloscope; scope

Hypernyms ("scope" is a kind of...):

electronic equipment (equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor))

Meronyms (parts of "scope"):

cathode-ray tube; CRT (a vacuum tube in which a hot cathode emits a beam of electrons that pass through a high voltage anode and are focused or deflected before hitting a phosphorescent screen)

Holonyms ("scope" is a part of...):

monitor; monitoring device (display produced by a device that takes signals and displays them on a television screen or a computer monitor)

microwave radar; radar; radio detection and ranging; radiolocation (measuring instrument in which the echo of a pulse of microwave radiation is used to detect and locate distant objects)

cardiac monitor; heart monitor (a piece of electronic equipment for continual observation of the function of the heart)

 Context examples 

The act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope.

(Enlargement, NCI Thesaurus)

To increase in size, volume or scope.

(Expand, NCI Thesaurus)

Sometimes scopes are used for surgery, such as for removing polyps from the colon.

(Endoscopy, NIH)

This tool is called a scope.

(Diagnostic Imaging, NIH)

Broad in scope; including all or everything.

(Comprehensive, NCI Thesaurus)

Urologists can pass instruments through the scope to carry out procedures inside the urethra and bladder.

(Cystoscope, NCI Thesaurus)

It is a means of narrowing the scope of a report by specifying ranges or types of data to include or exclude.

(Filter, NCI Thesaurus)

A class that has an unambiguous reference within the scope.

(Identifiable Class, NCI Thesaurus)

A scope of physician assistant professional activity does not include the full range of interpretation of medical findings requiring the full professional background of the licensed physician.

(Physician assistant, NCI Thesaurus)

“There is material here. There is scope,” said he.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)