sample

Definitions

1. noun

   A part or snippet of something taken or presented for inspection, or shown as evidence of the quality of the whole; a specimen.

   Examples

   • a blood sample
   • He looked down into Glen Doone first, and sniffed as if he were smelling it, like a sample of goods from a wholesale house; and then he looked at the hills over yonder, and then he stared at me.
2. noun

   A subset or portion of a population that is systematically selected for measurement, observation, or questioning, with the objective of generating statistical information that accurately reflects the characteristics of the entire population.

   Examples

   • Large samples are generally more reliable than small samples due to having less variability.
   • It's a pretty grey outlook for England if these are a sample of the mothers of the coming generation.
3. noun

   A small quantity of food for tasting, typically given away for free.

   Examples

   • She handed out samples of the new cheese.
   • He tried a sample of the soup before ordering.
4. noun

   A small piece of some goods, for determining quality, colour, etc., typically given away for free.

   Examples

   • The tailor gave him a fabric sample to compare colors.
   • She requested a paint sample before buying a full can.
5. noun

   A borrowing of easily recognised phases (or moments) from other music (or movies) in a recording.

   Examples

   • The song features a sample from a classic funk track.
   • Producers cleared the sample before releasing the album.
6. noun

   Example or pattern.

   Examples

   • Thus he concludes, and euery hardie knight / His ſample follow’d, and his brethren twaine, / The other Princes put on harneſſe light, / As footmen vſe.
   • [The King] Liu’d in Court / (Which rare it is to do) moſt prais’d, moſt lou’d, / A ſample to the yongeſt.
7. verb

   To take or to test a sample or samples of.

   Examples

   • They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it, I had to bear my trouble as best I could.
   • It is certainly my personal favourite, for it was by way of Hardwick's great Doric arch that I first sampled the roar and clatter of London streets, the trip being a boyhood reward for achieving (unexpected) success in a school examination!
8. verb

   To reduce a continuous signal (such as a sound wave) to a discrete signal.

   Examples

   • The device samples the audio at 44,100 times per second.
   • Engineers sampled the signal to convert it to digital form.
9. verb

   To reuse a portion of (an existing sound recording) in a new piece of music.

   Examples

   • The producer sampled an old soul record for the beat.
   • He sampled a classic riff for his new single.
10. verb

    To make or show something similar to a sample.

    Examples

    • The tailor sampled the fabric before cutting the suit.
    • She sampled a swatch of the new upholstery.