Word Confusion: Scoop versus Scope

Plural for the noun: scoops
Gerund: scooping

Third person present verb: scoops
Past tense or past participle: scooped
Present participle: scooping

Plural for the noun: scopes

Third person present verb: scopes
Past tense or past participle: scoped
Present participle: scoping

Noun:
A utensil resembling a spoon, with a long handle and a deep bowl, used for removing powdered, granulated, or semisolid substances (such as ice cream) from a container

• A short-handled deep shovel used for moving grain, coal, etc.
• A moving bowl-shaped part of a digging machine, dredger, or other mechanism into which material is gathered
• A long-handled surgical instrument that resembles a spoon
• A quantity taken up by a scoop

[Informal] A piece of news published by a newspaper or broadcast by a television or radio station in advance of its rivals

• [North American; the scoop] The latest information about something

[Television & Films] A single large floodlight shaped like a flour scoop

Verb, intransitive:
To remove or gather something with or as if with a scoop (often followed by up)

Verb, transitive:
Pick up and move (something) OR to take up or out with as if with a scoop (often followed by up)

• Create (a hollow or hole) with or as if with a scoop (often followed by out)
• To form with or as if with a scoop
• Pick up (someone or something) in a swift, fluid movement

[Newspaper; Publishing; informal] Publish a news story before (a rival reporter, newspaper, or radio or television station)

To win (a prize, award, or large amount of money)

[General Sporting Terms] To hit (the ball) on its underside so that it rises into the air

Noun:
The extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant ²

The opportunity or possibility to do or deal with something

• [Archaic] A purpose, end, or intention

[Nautical] The length of cable extended when a ship rides at anchor

[Linguistics & Logic] The range of the effect of an operator such as a quantifier or conjunction

Verb, transitive:
Assess or investigate (something) ²

• Set the scope of (a projected undertaking)

[North American; informal] Look at carefully

• Scan

A viewing instrument such as a periscope, microscope, or telescope

“A scoop neck has a low, wide, almost U-shaped neck while a crew neck has a much more round shape that sits higher up on the neck” (Guide).

Scoop backs are popular on wedding dresses.

Noun:
The powder is packed in tubs in which a measuring scoop is provided.

Ernie handled that coal scoop like a pro.

When fishing dredging, “a heavy rectangular metal scoop is towed astern of a moving boat with a chain bridle attached to a cable” (Dredging).

“Scoop, nurse,” the doctor demanded.

I’ll have an apple pie with two scoops of ice cream on top.

Reporters at the city’s three tabloid papers usually compete for scoops.

He’ll need a scoop of penance.

“What’s the scoop, old-timer?”

“Many theaters use scoop lights for worklights, rehearsals, non-performance times, and certain performance times” (Scoop).

Verb, intransitive:
I can’t believe he’s trying to scoop with that ridiculously small shovel.

“Next to the backhoe are piles of rock — some small, some as big as a car — that have been scooped out of the water” (McClelland).

“Scoop out and set aside in a bowl” (Cloake).

We should get some infrared night scopes.

Sniper rifles require a scope.

Verb, transitive:
Philip began to scoop grain into his bag.

A hole was scooped out in the floor of the dwelling.

He laughed and scooped her up in his arms.

He scooped the money into his pocket.

Time and again we have scooped our rivals with the top stories and pictures.

Mildred scooped up the prize.

Didja see how he scooped that ball!

Jenny got a telescope for Christmas.

Up periscope.

Noun:
We widened the scope of our investigation.

Such questions go well beyond the scope of this book.

The scope for major change is always limited by political realities.

Plato maintains religion to be the chief aim and scope of human life.

The idea gave her imagination broad scope.

“Scopes are usually in the range of 5:1 to 7:1” (Meron).

“The scope of an operator is simply the constituent that it is attached to; in linguistic terminology, its sister node” (von Heusinger).

Verb, transitive:
At least they’d scoped out their market.

It is important that a project is scoped correctly to ensure the budget can be accurately defined.

They watched him scoping the room, looking for Michael.

1. From the modern Latin -scopium, which is from the Greek skopein meaning look at.
2. Mid-16th century, in the sense target for shooting at, is from the Italian scopo meaning aim, from the Greek skopos meaning target, from skeptesthai meaning look out.