inspect

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   look over carefully

   Please inspect your father's will carefully

2. 2
   verb

   To examine critically or carefully; especially, to search out problems or determine condition; to scrutinize.

   Inspect the system for leaks.

3. 3
   verb

   To observe the status or nature of an object beyond what is found obvious upon its initial presentation; to 'view within' the object.

   After speaking with the building owner, hearing that the building's steam pipes were over eighty years old, and noticing areas where the pipes had been patched with duct tape, we decided to thoroughly inspect the system for leaks.

4. 4
   verb

   To view and examine officially.

   The general inspected the troops and their barracks.

5. 5
   verb

   examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification

6. 6
   verb

   come to see in an official or professional capacity

Etymology

From Latin inspectum, past participle of inspicere (“to look into”), from in (“in”) + specere (“to look at”), equivalent to in- + -spect.