Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SUR'VEY, n. [formerly accented on the last syllable.]

1. An attentive view; a look or looking with care. He took a survey of the whole landscape. Under his proud survey the city lies. – Denham.
2. A particular view; an examination of all the parts or particulars of a thing, with a design to ascertain the condition, quantity or quality; as, a survey of the stores, provisions or munitions of a ship. So also a survey of roads and bridges is made by proper officers; a survey of buildings is intended to ascertain their condition, value and exposure to fire. A survey of land includes mensuration and the ascertainment of quantity. A survey of a harbor, sound or coast comprehends an examination of the distance and bearing of points of land, isles, shoals, depth of water, course of channels, &c. A survey of agriculture includes a view of the state of property, buildings, fences, modes of cultivation, crops, gardens, orchards, woods, live-stock, &c. And in general, survey denotes a particular view and examination of anything.
3. In the United States, a district for the collection of the customs, under the inspection and authority of a particular officer. Trigonometrical survey, the measurement of an arc of the meridian by means of a series of triangles.