canvass means A seeking or solicitation of donations, information, opinions, support, etc. It carries an Arena rating of 1479, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, canvass ranks #2,309 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,574 of 14,448 for Funniest Words, #3,357 of 14,308 for Most Malleable Words, #7,143 of 14,322 for Scariest Words.
canvass is pronounced /ˈkænvəs/.
Why “canvass” is a great word
To solicit votes, opinions, or support systematically, often by personal solicitation, or to examine votes closely; the act of such solicitation or scrutiny. From the verb derived from 'canvas' (type of coarse cloth), from the practice of tossing someone in a canvas sheet, which evolved to mean 'to sift, examine, or thrash out', and later to 'solicit votes or opinions'; the noun is derived from the verb, first attested c. 1500. Unlike a 'poll', which suggests a passive, structured collection of data, or 'scrutinize', which implies a solitary, critical inspection, to canvass is active, embodied labor: it is the knock on the door in a soft evening rain, the weathered shoe leather on pavement, the clipboard held against a gust of wind. It is the fundamental, physical sifting of a polity, the democratic faith that no opinion matters until it is asked for, one human exchange at a time.
Etymology
The verb is derived from canvas (“type of coarse cloth woven from hemp”). The connection between “to toss (someone) in a (canvas) sheet; (by extension) to batter, beat, or thrash (someone or something); etc.” and “to seek the support of voters or a constituency in a forthcoming election or poll” is not entirely clear.
The noun is derived from the verb. It has been suggested that noun sense 4.2 (“rejection (at an election, of a suit, etc.)”) may refer to the canvas bag used by journeymen mechanics which they used to pack up their tools after they had completed their jobs, in which case it is not derived from the verb but directly from canvas (noun).
noun
- A seeking or solicitation of donations, information, opinions, support, etc.“It is a wonder to ſee how ſlauiſhly theſe kinde of [ambitious] men will ſubiect themſelues, vvhen they are about a canvas, to euery inferiour perſon, vvhat paines they vvill take, runne, ride, caſt, plot & countermine, proteſt & ſvveare, vow, promiſe, vvhat labours vndergoe, earely vp, dovvne late; […]”
- A seeking or solicitation, or determination, of support or favourable votes in a forthcoming election or poll.“And certainly, there is great difference, betvveen a Cunning Man, and a Wiſe Man; Not onely in Point of Honeſty, but in point of Ability. There be that can packe the Cards, and yet cannot play vvell; So there are ſome, that are good in Canuaſſes, and Factions, that are othervviſe VVeake Men.”
- A scrutiny of the votes cast in an election to reject irregular votes; also, a tally, audit, and certification of votes.“Elections officials [in California] have approximately one month (28 days for presidential electors and 30 days for all other contests) to complete their extensive tallying, auditing, and certification work (known as the ‘official canvass’). Most notably, voting by mail has increased significantly in recent years and many vote-by-mail ballots arrive on, or up to three days after, Election Day (vot”
- A thorough discussion or investigation. (Possibly; the meaning is unclear.)“[…] I haue learned this faſhion of Sᵗ. Hierome the Oracle of Antiquitie, vvho vvas vvont to entertaine his Paula, and Euſtochium, Marcella, Principia, Hedibia, and other deuout Ladies, vvith learned canuaſes of the deep pointes of Diuinity.”
- Rejection (at an election, of a suit, etc.).“But vvhy ſhouldſt thou take thy Canvas ſo to heart? It may bee thou art not fit. But as a childe that vveares his fathers ſhooes, hat, headpeece, breſtplate, or breeches; or holds his ſpeare, but is nether able to vveild the one, or vveare the other; ſo vvouldſt thou doe by ſuch an office or Magiſtracy, thou art vnfit.”
verb
- To thoroughly examine or investigate (something) physically or by discussion; to debate, to gather opinion, to scrutinize.“And with the aunſwere here vpon eftſoones in hand they go, / The doubtfull wordes wherof they ſcan and canuas to and fro.”
- To scrutinize (the ballot in an election or the votes cast) and reject irregular votes; also, to challenge or dispute (an election result).“The poll was cloſed when the Court thought they had the majority: But upon caſting it up it appeared they had loſt it: So they fell to canvaſs it: And they made ſuch exceptions to thoſe of the other ſide, that they diſcounted as many voices as gave them the majority.”
- To seek or solicit donations, information, opinions, support, etc. from (people or a place)“The police are canvassing the neighbourhood for information about the missing child.”
- To seek the support of (voters or a constituency) in a forthcoming election or poll through personal solicitation or public addresses.“The electoral candidate canvassed the district for votes.”
- To toss (someone) in a (canvas) sheet for fun or as a punishment; to blanket.“Thou that giu'ſt VVhores Indulgences to ſinne, / Ile canuas thee in thy broad Cardinalls Hat, / If thou proceed in this thy inſolence.”
- To batter, beat, or thrash (someone or something).“But nowe the Meſſenger that was thus ſent to the Lorde Hume [Alexander Home, 5th Lord Home], comming to him declared in what caſe hys houſe and people ſtoode, who beeing (as was ſuppoſed) not ſo farre off, but that he might heare howe luſtily the Engliſhe Canons did canuas and batter his Humiſhe Caſtell Walles, did nowe agree to meete the Marshall maiſter Drurie [William Drury] two myles diſtant f”
- To assail or attack (someone or something).
- To severely criticize (a person, a written work, etc.).“So voluntarily, so freely, so coolly to canvass it!”
- To debate, to discuss.“I pulled down to Mr. Turnbull's, and told him my good and bad fortune. It being late, he ordered me some dinner in his study, and we sat there canvassing over the affair.”
- To seek or solicit donations, information, opinions, support, etc.; to conduct a survey.“[T]o saile surely in the deepe sea of divine Philosophie, wee ought to take wary heede to flie, more then Scylla and Charibdis, the Conversation of men, as they did not only getting themselves out of the prease of people, but setting light by, and refusing the government of common weales, and those chief honours and offices which ambitious men goe all day long with great labour and are canuassing ”
- To seek the support of voters or a constituency in a forthcoming election or poll; to campaign.“[H]e endeavoured by his Agents to be choſe a Burgeſs for the Univerſity of Oxon, to ſerve in that Parliament vvhich began at VVeſtm[inster] 25 Apr. 1660, as at one or tvvo places beſides, vvhere he had canvas'd for votes; […]”
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