What is the meaning of scanning?

noun

• The process of translating photographs into a digital form that can be recognized by a computer.
• The act of systematically moving a finely focused beam of light or electrons over a surface in order to produce an image of it for analysis or transmission.

verb

• Examine minutely or intensely.
  • usage: "the surgeon scanned the X-ray"
  • synonyms: scan
• Examine hastily.
  • usage: "She scanned the newspaper headlines while waiting for the taxi"
  • synonyms: scan, skim, rake, glance over, run down
• Make a wide, sweeping search of.
  • usage: "The beams scanned the night sky"
  • synonyms: scan
• Conform to a metrical pattern.
  • synonyms: scan
• Move a light beam over; in electronics, to reproduce an image.
  • synonyms: scan
• Read metrically.
  • usage: "scan verses"
  • synonyms: scan
• Obtain data from magnetic tapes.
  • usage: "This dictionary can be read by the computer"
  • synonyms: read, scan