peruse

Etymology

From either Medieval Latin perūtor, perūsitō (“wear out”)) or Anglo-Norman peruser (“use up”)), originally leading to two concurrent meanings, but only those derived from "to examine" survive today. By surface analysis, per- + use.

verb

1. (transitive) To examine or consider with care.
   Sitting on a low stool, a few yards from her arm-chair, I examined her figure; I perused her features. 1847, Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Chapter IV
2. (transitive) To read completely.
   This survey may be made by perusing al Books and taking notice of all Mechanicall Inventions. 1647, William Petty, The Advice to Hartlib
   We are for reasons that, after perusing this manuscript, you may be able to guess, going away again this time to Central Asia […] 1887, H. Rider Haggard, She, Introduction
3. (transitive, informal) To look over casually; to skim.
   Haynes quickly perused the message, then took it to the captain on the bridge. 2001, Doug Stanton, In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis, page 35
   She asked Denise for the court file, which she fussed from her handbag. The woman perused it briefly and then beamed up at me. 2005, Al Lovejoy, Acid Alex, page 98
4. (intransitive, regional) To go from place to place; to wander.
   I loved to straggle off in the mornings […], just perusing around for firewood. 1957, Robert Ruark, The Old Man And The Boy, page 55

noun

1. An examination or perusal; an instance of perusing.
   A peruse of the website looked promising […] September 12 2008, Dave Robson, “Hi-tea, low cost!”, in Evening Gazette