scan
B2Neutral to formal, depending on context. Common in technical, medical, and everyday digital contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To look at or examine something carefully and methodically, or to pass an electronic beam over a surface to capture or analyze data.
To quickly glance through text for specific information; to convert a physical document into a digital image; to analyze the metre of a line of verse; (in medicine) to obtain an image of the body using a scanner.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word encompasses both careful, thorough examination and a quick, superficial glance, creating a potential for ambiguity. The 'quick look' sense is more recent and informal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'scan' can more readily mean 'to look quickly' (e.g., 'I scanned the newspaper'). In American English, the 'examine carefully' sense is often primary, though the 'quick look' sense is also understood. The verb for processing at a checkout is 'scan' in both, but the noun for the act/output is 'scan' (AmE) vs. 'scanning' or 'scan' (BrE).
Connotations
Similar in both varieties, but the potential ambiguity between 'look carefully' and 'look quickly' is slightly more pronounced in BrE.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties due to digital technology. The medical sense ('CT scan') is equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] (scan something)[VN] (scan something for something)[V] (scan through something)[VN-ADJ] (scan something clear/clean)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Scan the small print”
- “A quick scan of the room”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Please scan and email the signed contract.
Academic
The study used an MRI scan to observe brain activity.
Everyday
Can you scan this QR code with your phone?
Technical
The software will scan the network for vulnerabilities.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She scanned through the report before the meeting.
- The system will scan for malware.
American English
- He scanned the document and saved it as a PDF.
- I scanned the headlines over breakfast.
adverb
British English
- He looked scan-wise across the page. (Rare/Non-standard)
- N/A
American English
- N/A
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The scan results were inconclusive.
- A scan image was attached.
American English
- The scan data is being analyzed.
- She reviewed the scan report.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Scan your ticket at the gate.
- The doctor looked at the scan.
- I scanned the email for the main points.
- They need to scan my luggage at the airport.
- Security cameras constantly scan the building's perimeter.
- A preliminary scan revealed no major issues.
- The poet's use of iambic pentameter is evident when you scan the verse.
- Satellites continuously scan the earth's surface for topological changes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SCANNER: it carefully looks over every part of a page to copy it.
Conceptual Metaphor
EXAMINING IS SWEEPING (A BEAM OF LIGHT) - 'His eyes scanned the crowd.'
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'сканировать' for the 'quick look' sense. Use 'пробежать глазами', 'бегло просмотреть'. For the careful examination sense, 'внимательно осмотреть/изучить' is better. The Russian borrowing 'сканировать' covers only the technical/digital senses.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'scan' to always mean 'look carefully' (it can mean the opposite). Incorrect: 'I scanned the document for two hours' (if you mean studied it meticulously). Correct: 'I scrutinized the document for two hours.'
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence does 'scan' mean 'to look at something quickly'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can mean both, which sometimes causes confusion. Context is key. 'Scan the document for errors' implies careful examination. 'I scanned the newspaper' usually implies a quick look.
The noun is also 'scan' (e.g., a body scan, a radar scan). The act of scanning can be called 'scanning'.
In the context of reading, they are close synonyms for a quick look to get the gist or find specific info. However, 'scanning' often implies searching for something specific, while 'skimming' is more about getting a general idea.
Yes, absolutely. It is commonly used in everyday language: 'She scanned the room for her friend,' or 'He scanned the menu.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Technology Basics
A2 · 48 words · Everyday technology and digital devices.