Library / English Dictionary

SAMPLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small part of something intended as representative of the whole

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("sample" is a kind of...):

example; illustration; instance; representative (an item of information that is typical of a class or group)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sample"):

coupon (a test sample of some substance)

cross section (a sample meant to be representative of a whole population)

grab sample (a single sample or measurement taken at a specific time or over as short a period as feasible)

random sample (a sample grabbed at random)

tasting (a small amount (especially of food or wine))

Derivation:

sample (take a sample of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Items selected at random from a population and used to test hypotheses about the population

Synonyms:

sample; sample distribution; sampling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("sample" is a kind of...):

distribution; statistical distribution ((statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence)

Domain category:

statistics (a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sample"):

acceptance sampling (a statistical procedure for accepting or rejecting a batch of merchandise or documents; involves determining the maximum number of defects discovered in a sample before the entire batch is rejected)

random sample (a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected)

proportional sample; representative sample; stratified sample (the population is divided into strata and a random sample is taken from each stratum)

Sense 3

Meaning:

All or part of a natural object that is collected and preserved as an example of its class

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("sample" is a kind of...):

natural object (an object occurring naturally; not made by man)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sample"):

specimen (a bit of tissue or blood or urine that is taken for diagnostic purposes)

core (a cylindrical sample of soil or rock obtained with a hollow drill)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take a sample of

Example:

Sample the regional dishes

Synonyms:

sample; taste; try; try out

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "sample" is one way to...):

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sample"):

degust (taste with relish)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

They sample more bread

The chefs sample the vegetables

Derivation:

sample (a small part of something intended as representative of the whole)

sampler (a piece of embroidery demonstrating skill with various stitches)

sampler (an assortment of various samples)

sampler (someone who samples food or drink for its quality)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The determination of the amount of alanine aminopeptidase present in a sample.

(Alanine Aminopeptidase Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

A quantitative measurement of albumin present in a sample.

(Albumin Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

The determination of the amount of methylmalonic acid present in a sample.

(Methylmalonic Acid Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

The samples are usually DNA fragments but may also be antibodies, other proteins, or tissues.

(Microarray, NCI Thesaurus)

Any technique in which a sample is condensed in order to afford greater sensitivity for the detection of microorganisms.

(Microbial Concentration Method, NCI Thesaurus)

It is no reflection upon your professional knowledge, said he, for I believe that, save for one sample in a laboratory at Buda, there is no other specimen in Europe.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The determination of the amount of methemoglobin present in a sample.

(Methemoglobin Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

The determination of the amount of methandrostenolone present in a sample.

(Methandrostenolone Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

The determination of the amount of megakaryoblasts present in a sample.

(Megakaryoblast Cell Count, NCI Thesaurus)

The determination of the ratio of megakaryoblasts compared to total cells present in a sample.

(Megakaryoblast to Total Cell Ratio Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)