Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Canvass \Can"vass\, 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.

Canvass \Can"vass\, n.
   1. Close inspection; careful review for verification; as, a
      canvass of votes. --Bacon.

   2. Examination in the way of discussion or debate.

   3. Search; exploration; solicitation; systematic effort to
      obtain votes, subscribers, etc.

            No previous canvass was made for me.  --Burke.

Canvass \Can"vass\, 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.

            I have made careful search on all hands, and
            canvassed the matter with all possible diligence.
                                                  --Woodward.

   2. To examine by discussion; to debate.

            An opinion that we are likely soon to canvass. --Sir
                                                  W. Hamilton.

   3. To go trough, with personal solicitation or public
      addresses; as, to canvass a district for votes; to canvass
      a city for subscriptions.

Source : WordNet®

canvass
     n 1: the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic
          account; "the crowded canvas of history"; "the movie
          demanded a dramatic canvas of sound" [syn: {canvas}]
     2: an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a
        random sample of people [syn: {poll}, {opinion poll}, {public
        opinion poll}]
     3: a large piece of fabric (as canvas) by means of which wind
        is used to propel a sailing vessel [syn: {sail}, {canvas},
         {sheet}]
     4: a tent made of canvas [syn: {canvas tent}, {canvas}]
     5: an oil painting on canvas [syn: {canvas}]
     6: the mat that forms the floor of the ring in which boxers or
        professional wrestlers compete; "the boxer picked himself
        up off the canvas" [syn: {canvas}]
     7: heavy closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or
        sails or tents) [syn: {canvas}]
     v 1: get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
          [syn: {poll}, {canvas}]
     2: solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign
        [syn: {canvas}]
     3: consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to
        discover essential features or meaning; "analyze a sonnet
        by Shakespeare"; "analyze the evidence in a criminal
        trial"; "analyze your real motives" [syn: {analyze}, {analyse},
         {study}, {examine}, {canvas}]