inspect
inspect — verb
1. to study something or someone very closely by looking at every part, in order to
to study something or someone very closely by looking at every part, in order to find facts about its quality, condition, or correctness.
Reema inspected every seam of the dress before deciding to buy it.
inspect + noun phrase: examining every part of an object
The mechanic inspected the engine carefully but found nothing wrong with it.
inspect + adverb (carefully) for emphasis
Before the exam, Hugo inspected his calculator to check the batteries were fresh.
The art collector inspected the painting with a magnifying glass to confirm it was genuine.
- examine
broader — can include testing or probing, not just visual checking
- scrutinize
more intense — means looking extremely closely, often at details
- survey
more general — looking over a whole area or collection, not necessarily close up
文法句型
inspect + noun phrase (object)
用法筆記
The object is usually a concrete thing (document, object, person) whose condition or quality you want to assess. For abstract objects (proposal, situation), prefer 'examine' or 'review'.
常見錯誤
2. to go to a workplace, school, factory, or other establishment as an official vis
to go to a workplace, school, factory, or other establishment as an official visitor, checking whether rules, safety measures, and legal requirements are being followed.
Health officials inspect every restaurant in the city at least once a year.
inspect + place: institutional authority
A team from the education ministry inspected the school and praised its teaching standards.
The factory was inspected by fire safety officers who found several violations.
Labour inspectors visited the construction site to inspect working conditions for the builders.
文法句型
inspect + place / group (object)
用法筆記
Subject is typically an official body, government agency, or authorized inspector. Frequently found in passive constructions when the focus is on the place being checked rather than who does the checking.
常見錯誤
3. to have a building, bridge, or similar structure examined by a qualified profess
to have a building, bridge, or similar structure examined by a qualified professional who looks for hidden faults, damage, or safety problems in its physical construction.
Before buying the house, Nkechi hired a surveyor to inspect the roof and the foundations.
inspect + building part (roof, foundations) for hidden faults
The apartment block was inspected for structural damage after the earthquake.
passive: be inspected for [defect]
A gas engineer inspected the boiler and confirmed it was safe to use.
The bridge is inspected every five years for rust and cracks in the steel supports.
文法句型
inspect + building / structure (object)
be inspected for [defect]
用法筆記
Nearly always passive ('the building was inspected') or describes a hired specialist ('someone inspected the property'). The inspection is done by a trained professional (surveyor, engineer, building inspector) rather than a government authority.