▪ I. † ˈinspect, n. Obs.
[app. ad. L. inspectu-s looking at, inspection, examination, f. ppl. stem of inspicĕre: see next. (Stress orig. inˈspect, in 18th c. ˈinspect: cf. respect, aspect.)]
The act of looking into a matter; inspection, examination.
| c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn lii. 199 Wherupon they fulsone, wythoute eny other inspecte concluded togyder that they sholde departe the nexte daye. 1509 Hawes Joyf. Medit. v, O God..In whose inspecte is euery regall se. 1509 ― Past. Pleas. viii. (Percy Soc.) 33 And yf that they had in it inspecte, Than they would it prayse. 1649 Roberts Clavis Bibl. ii. 18 The Book of life..whose writing is indelible, whose inspect is desirable. 1693 Prideaux Lett. (Camden) 158 Matters of fact and matters of law, w{supc}{suph} private men can never have a clear inspect into. 1730–46 Thomson Autumn 1134 Not so the man of philosophic eye, And inspect sage. |
▪ II. inspect, v.
(ɪnˈspɛkt)
[f. L. inspect-, ppl. stem of inspicĕre to look into, inspect, examine, and its frequentative inspectā-re to look at, observe, view: cf. mod.F. inspecter (1781 in Hatz.-Darm.).]
1. trans. To look carefully into; to view closely and critically; to examine (something) with a view to find out its character or condition; now spec. to investigate or oversee officially: see inspector 1.
| 1623 Cockeram, Inspected, looked into. 1670 Sir Sackville Crow in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 16 That mannifacture grows worse daylie, except inspected by one that knowes worke. 1690 Child Disc. Trade (1694) 8 All men that make it any part of their business to inspect the true nature and principles of trade. 1704 Swift T. Tub Ded. Posterity, To keep you in an almost universal ignorance of our Studies, which it is your inherent birthright to inspect. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) VII. xviii. i. 359 He dreaded inspecting the truth. 1788 V. Knox Winter Even. I. ii. iii. 128 They inspect some of those conceited writers. 1841 D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 608 He inspected nature with the close eye of a naturalist. 1860 Tyndall Glac. 166 Halting at intervals..to inspect the glacier. |
† 2. intr. To look closely or carefully; to examine into or among. Obs.
| 1704 Swift T. Tub iii, Whoever designs to be a perfect writer must inspect into the books of critics. 1705 Farquhar Twin-Rivals ii. iii, He has declar'd..that he would inspect into all his accounts himself. 1724 Swift Corr. Wks. 1841 II. 569 That..you would please to inspect among your father's papers. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory II. 8 By inspecting into the figures and inscriptions of the..coins. |
Hence inˈspected ppl. a., inˈspecting vbl. n. and ppl. a.; hence inˈspectingly adv.
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 738 Th' inspected Entrails cou'd no Fates foretell. 1788 in Outing (U.S.) (1894) Apr. 76/1 Places for exercise, and inspecting of arms and accoutrements. 1796–7 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 262 The inspecting General may be enabled to report the more minutely. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xii. 94 [The bear] rose upon his hind palms, and..snuffed the air inspectingly. 1863 A. Tylor Educ. & Manuf. 49 The deplorable account of the state of education in the inspected schools. |