surveillance

Everyday

1. Surveillance is carefully watching a person, place or activity, often secretly, to check for crime or danger or to collect information. tree →
2. Surveillance can mean the cameras and equipment used for watching, such as CCTV. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday UK life, there is CCTV surveillance in shops, stations and streets. In stories, police or spies keep a suspect «under surveillance». In citizenship and online safety lessons, pupils discuss privacy: who can watch us, and how apps and websites collect data. In health, «disease surveillance» means watching for outbreaks. Phrases: «under surveillance», «surveillance cameras», «CCTV surveillance».

Examples

• The shop has surveillance cameras near the door. tree →
• The police kept the house under surveillance. tree →
• Spies use surveillance to gather secrets. tree →
• There is a lot of CCTV surveillance in big cities. tree →
• Doctors use surveillance to spot new flu outbreaks. tree →
• Some people worry that too much surveillance harms privacy. tree →
• The bird watchers' surveillance of the nest lasted weeks. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Spelling: double l, «-ance»: surveillance. From French «surveiller» (to watch over). Pronounced «sur-VAY-lance».