[sam.ple] n [ME, fr. MF essample, fr. L exemplum--more at example] (15c) 1: a representative part or a single item from a larger whole or group esp. when presented for inspection or shown as evidence of quality: specimen
2: a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole syn see instance
[2]sample vt sam.pled ; sam.pling (1767): to take a sample of or from; esp: to judge the quality of by a sample: test "sampled his output for defects" "~ a wine" [3]sample adj (1820): serving as an illustration or example "~ questions"