sample

Everyday

1. A sample is a small amount or part of something that shows what the rest is like. tree →
2. A free sample is a small amount of a product given to try. tree →
3. In science and maths, a sample is a group chosen from a larger group to be tested or studied. tree →
4. To sample means to try or taste a little of something. tree →
5. In music, a sample is a short piece of sound reused in a new song. tree →

In the lessons

Science: take a soil, water or leaf sample; doctors take blood samples. Maths and statistics: survey a sample of pupils to learn about the whole school — a bigger, random sample is fairer. Everyday life: free samples in shops; sample food at a market. Phrases: a sample of, free sample, blood sample, take a sample, sample size.

Examples

• We took a sample of pond water to look at under the microscope. tree →
• The shop gave out free samples of cheese. tree →
• The nurse took a blood sample. tree →
• We asked a sample of 30 pupils about their favourite fruit. tree →
• Would you like to sample the soup? tree →
• Here is a sample of my best handwriting. tree →
• A bigger sample gives a more reliable result. tree →
• Nobody doubted but the Fairy gave herein a sample of her art, that the Princess, while she continued sleeping, might have nothing to fear from any curious people. tree →

Note

Countable: a sample, samples. Verb past: sampled. In maths: results from a sample are only an estimate for the whole group — if 10 of 30 pupils in the sample like apples, about one third of the school might. A sample that is too small or not random can mislead.