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
