plural of sample
"The technician collected water samples from every tap to test for contamination."
In plain English: Samples are small amounts of something given to try before buying the whole thing.
"The chef offered guests small samples of each dish before ordering."
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of sample
"The vendor samples each variety of cheese before adding it to his inventory."
In plain English: To sample something means to try a small amount of it first to see if you like it.
"Please sample the free ice cream before you order dessert."
plural of Sample
"The chemist mixed several water samples to test for contamination levels in the river."
Derived from Old French esample via Middle English, the term originally meant an example or pattern to be imitated. It evolved in modern usage to denote a small portion taken as a representative of a whole.