The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

-scope \-scope\ [Gr. skopo`s a watcher, spy. See Scope.]
   A combining form usually signifying an instrument for viewing
   (with the eye) or observing (in any way); as in microscope,
   telescope, altoscope, anemoscope.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scope \Scope\, n. [It. scopo, L. scopos a mark, aim, Gr.
   skopo`s, a watcher, mark, aim; akin to ?, ? to view, and
   perh. to E. spy. Cf. Skeptic, Bishop.]
   1. That at which one aims; the thing or end to which the mind
      directs its view; that which is purposed to be reached or
      accomplished; hence, ultimate design, aim, or purpose;
      intention; drift; object. "Shooting wide, do miss the
      marked scope." --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

            Your scope is as mine own,
            So to enforce or qualify the laws
            As to your soul seems good.           --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            The scope of all their pleading against man's
            authority, is to overthrow such laws and
            constitutions in the church.          --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Room or opportunity for free outlook or aim; space for
      action; amplitude of opportunity; free course or vent;
      liberty; range of view, intent, or action.
      [1913 Webster]

            Give him line and scope.              --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            In the fate and fortunes of the human race, scope is
            given to the operation of laws which man must always
            fail to discern the reasons of.       --I. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

            Excuse me if I have given too much scope to the
            reflections which have arisen in my mind. --Burke.
      [1913 Webster]

            An intellectual cultivation of no moderate depth or
            scope.                                --Hawthorne.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Extended area. [Obs.] "The scopes of land granted to the
      first adventurers." --Sir J. Davies.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Length; extent; sweep; as, scope of cable.
      [1913 Webster]
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

scope
    n 1: an area in which something acts or operates or has power or
         control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "a piano has a
         greater range than the human voice"; "the ambit of
         municipal legislation"; "within the compass of this
         article"; "within the scope of an investigation"; "outside
         the reach of the law"; "in the political orbit of a world
         power" [syn: scope, range, reach, orbit, compass,
         ambit]
    2: the state of the environment in which a situation exists;
       "you can't do that in a university setting" [syn: setting,
       background, scope]
    3: a magnifier of images of distant objects [syn: telescope,
       scope]
    4: electronic equipment that provides visual images of varying
       electrical quantities [syn: oscilloscope, scope,
       cathode-ray oscilloscope, CRO]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

SCOPE

    Software Evaluation and Certification Programme
   Europe.

   An ESPRIT project.

   (1995-04-12)


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

scope

    The scope of an identifier is the region of a
   program source within which it represents a certain thing.
   This usually extends from the place where it is declared to
   the end of the smallest enclosing block (begin/end or
   procedure/function body).  An inner block may contain a
   redeclaration of the same identifier in which case the scope
   of the outer declaration does not include (is "shadowed" or
   "occluded" by) the scope of the inner.

   See also activation record, dynamic scope, lexical
   scope.

   (1994-11-01)