scan

Universal Words verb, noun verb (-nn-) 1 [VN] ~ sth (for sth) to look at every part of sth carefully, especially because you are looking for a particular thing or person: He scanned the horizon for any sign of land. * She scanned his face anxiously. 2 ~ (through) sth (for sth) to look quickly but not very carefully at a document, etc: [VN] I scanned the list quickly for my name. * [V] She scanned through the newspaper over breakfast. 3 [VN] to get an image of an object, a part of sb's body, etc. on a computer by passing a beam of X-RAYS, ULTRASOUND waves or ELECTROMAGNETIC waves over it in a special machine: Their brains are scanned so that researchers can monitor the progress of the disease. 4 [VN] (of a light, RADAR, etc.) to pass across an area: Concealed video cameras scan every part of the compound. 5 [V] (of poetry) to have a regular rhythm according to fixed rules: This line doesn't scan. PHRASALVERBS scan sth into sth