n. [ OE. canvas, canevas, F. canevas, LL. canabacius hempen cloth, canvas, L. cannabis hemp, fr. G. &unr_;. See Hemp. ] 1. A strong cloth made of hemp, flax, or cotton; -- used for tents, sails, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

By glimmering lanes and walls of canvas led. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) A coarse cloth so woven as to form regular meshes for working with the needle, as in tapestry, or worsted work. (b) A piece of strong cloth of which the surface has been prepared to receive painting, commonly painting in oil. [ 1913 Webster ]

History . . . does not bring out clearly upon the canvas the details which were familiar. J. H. Newman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something for which canvas is used: (a) A sail, or a collection of sails. (b) A tent, or a collection of tents. (c) A painting, or a picture on canvas. [ 1913 Webster ]

To suit his canvas to the roughness of the see. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Light, rich as that which glows on the canvas of Claude. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A rough draft or model of a song, air, or other literary or musical composition; esp. one to show a poet the measure of the verses he is to make. Grabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Made of, pertaining to, or resembling, canvas or coarse cloth; as, a canvas tent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A Species of duck (Aythya vallisneria), esteemed for the delicacy of its flesh. It visits the United States in autumn; particularly Chesapeake Bay and adjoining waters; -- so named from the markings of the plumage on its back. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. canvassed p. pr. & vb. n. Canvassing. ] [ OF. Canabasser to examine curiously, to search or sift out; properly, to sift through canvas. See Canvas, n. ] 1. To sift; to strain; to examine thoroughly; to scrutinize; as, to canvass the votes cast at an election; to canvass a district with reference to its probable vote. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have made careful search on all hands, and canvassed the matter with all possible diligence. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To examine by discussion; to debate. [ 1913 Webster ]

An opinion that we are likely soon to canvass. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To go through, with personal solicitation or public addresses; as, to canvass a district for votes; to canvass a city for subscriptions. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To search thoroughly; to engage in solicitation by traversing a district; as, to canvass for subscriptions or for votes; to canvass for a book, a publisher, or in behalf of a charity; -- commonly followed by for. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Close inspection; careful review for verification; as, a canvass of votes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Examination in the way of discussion or debate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Search; exploration; solicitation; systematic effort to obtain votes, subscribers, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

No previous canvass was made for me. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who canvasses. [ 1913 Webster ]