canvass

verb

1. (figuratively, transitive)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.”

   “Vpon feſtiuall dayes he goes to Court, & ſalutes without reſaluting: at night in an Ordinary he canuaſſeth the buſineſſe in hand, and ſeems as conuerſant with all intents and plots as if he begot them.”

   “[T]aking ſome things vpon the report of my Sences, & vvorking out other things that vvere of a mixt nature, by way of Dialogue with mine ovvne ſelfe; yea and taking particular notice and tale of the Reporters themſelues; & anon throughly canuaſſing ouer thoſe other things layd vp in the large treaſury of my memory, ſtoring vp ſome of them there againe, and for my vſe dravving out the reſt.”

   “Look into the vvord of God, and you ſhall find that it hath very much exerciſed the thoughts of the righteous, and Seneca the Philoſopher, canvaſſeth this grand Caſe, how it ſhould come to paſs that the vvicked proſpered.”

   “I have made careful ſearch on all hands, and canvaſs’d the Matter with all poſſible Diligence, […]”

2. (Philippines, broadly, figuratively, transitive)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.”

   “Teams of two people - called “canvassing teams” - review ballots and the envelopes with the ballots inside. […] You can observe the canvassing teams review and open mail-in ballot envelopes and open provisional ballot applications.”

3. (figuratively, transitive)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.”

   “He who ſcorned to ſave his life by bending the will of the ſon, was not likely to canvaſs the favour of the father, by proſtituting his pen to the humour of the court.”

   “The quality of citizen of Athens was ſometimes granted in honour and gratitude to thoſe who merited well of the ſtate, as to Hippocrates the phyſician; and even kings ſometimes canvaſſed that title for themſelves and their children.”

   “Buxton: A survey of 3,000 users of the Monsal Trail has revealed 98% support for the rebuilding of the railway to Matlock. The Manchester & East Midlands Rail Action partnership has been leafleting homes to canvass support for its reopening campaign.”

4. (figuratively, specifically, transitive)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.”

   “He said, that in the next parliament it was probable that he should canvass the county, and he hoped to get Pendennis’s interest here.”

   “Mr. Fuentes acknowledged that he had no plans to canvass young voters in person.”

5. (obsolete, transitive)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.”

6. (broadly, obsolete, transitive)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 from the ſayde Caſtell, and there to common further with him in that matter.”

7. (broadly, obsolete, transitive)To assail or attack (someone or something).
8. (broadly, obsolete, transitive)To severely criticize (a person, a written work, etc.).

   “So voluntarily, so freely, so coolly to canvass it!”

9. (intransitive)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.”

10. (intransitive)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 and crauing for”

    “Queene Elizabeth, being to reſolue vpon a great Officer, and being by ſome, that canuaſſed for others, put in ſome doubt of that perſon, vvhõ ſhe meant to aduance, […]”

    “[T]he nature of man, created after the Image of God, I mean, his Reaſonable nature, hath ſuch an agreement and liking to all that is ſubſtantially and really good, (ſuch are all the Commands of the Natural and Chriſtian Law) that it ſtill canvaſeth on that ſide, and ſolicites the will to embrace the good, and prefer it before the pleaſurable evil; […]”

    “ADAM BERENDT, who canvassed through Rockland County on behalf of education, environmental, and gun control bond issues.”

11. (intransitive, specifically)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; […]”

    “Indeed, I know nothing ſo abject as the behaviour of a man canvaſſing for a ſeat in parliament— […]”

    “"Don't you remember, too, at the last election here," said Caroline, "how the fine ladies from the Castle came and canvassed for Colonel Rosemary?"”

noun

1. (countable)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; […]”

   “I know well enough that the biſhoprics and cures, under kingly and ſeignoral patronage, as now they are in England, and as they have been lately in France, are ſometimes acquired by unworthy methods; but the other mode of eccleſiaſtical canvas ſubjects them infinitely more ſurely and more generally to all the evil arts of low ambition, which, operating on and through greater numbers, will produce miſchief in proportion.”

   “By this harmonious distribution, the honors, which had before been held up to the highest bidder, or made the subject of a furious canvass, became the incentive and sure recompense of desert.”

2. (countable, specifically)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.”

   “In the election of which Proctors, was the greateſt canvas, (as 'twas thought) in the memory of Man. […] For the taking of the Suffrages, […] the ſcrutiny continued till after 9 of the clock at night. In the year 1616 was a greater Canvas than this, there being then 1078 voices given on all Sides.”

3. (US, countable)A scrutiny of the votes cast in an election to reject irregular votes; also, a tally, audit, and certification of votes.

   “The canvasses are open to the public. You will be asked to sign in and follow certain rules to observe all canvasses. […] You must direct all questions concerning the canvass process to the Election Director or the individual organizing the canvass.”

4. (countable, obsolete)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.”

   “But mistake me not, Reader; I do not contend (in thus arguing) that this opinion of the Præexistency of the Soul, is true, but that it is not such a self-condemned Falsity, but that I might without justly incurring the censure of any Vainnesse or Levity, deem it worthy the canvase and discussion of sober and considerate men.”

5. (obsolete, uncountable)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.”

   “And now I'll tell thee, I have promis'd him / As much as marriage comes to, and I lose / My honour, if my don receive the canvas.”

6. (alt-of, countable, obsolete, uncountable)Obsolete spelling of canvas.

   “The double desire of being able to overtake a weaker flying enemy, or to escape when pursued by a stronger, has induced the owners to overmast their cruisers, and to spread too much canvass; and the great number of men, many of them not seamen, who being upon deck when a ship heels suddenly are huddled down to leeward, and increase by their weight the effect of the wind.”