Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Reconnoiter \Rec`on*noi"ter\, Reconnoitre \Rec`on*noi"tre\
   (r?k`?n*noi"t?r), v. t. [F. reconnoitre, a former spelling of
   reconna[^i]tre. See {Recognize}.]
   1. To examine with the eye to make a preliminary examination
      or survey of; esp., to survey with a view to military or
      engineering operations.

   2. To recognize. [Obs.] --Sir H. Walpole.

Source : WordNet®

reconnoiter
     v : explore, often with the goal of finding something or
         somebody [syn: {scout}, {reconnoitre}]