scope

scope (http://definr.com/scope)

     n 1: an area in which something acts or operates or has power or
          control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "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: 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]
     3: a magnifier of images of distant objects [syn: telescope]
     4: electronic equipment that provides visual images of varying
        electrical quantities [syn: oscilloscope, {cathode-ray
        oscilloscope}, CRO]