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ASSAY
assay
(noun) a quantitative or qualitative test of a substance (especially an ore or a drug) to determine its components; frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies etc.
assay
(noun) an appraisal of the state of affairs; “they made an assay of the contents”; “a check on its dependability under stress”
assay
(noun) a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
assay
(noun) a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
assay
(verb) analyze (chemical substances)
try, seek, attempt, essay, assay
(verb) make an effort or attempt; “He tried to shake off his fears”; “The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps”; “The police attempted to stop the thief”; “He sought to improve himself”; “She always seeks to do good in the world”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
assay (plural assays)
Trial, attempt.
Examination and determination; test.
The qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something.
Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried.
Tested purity or value.
The act or process of ascertaining the proportion of a particular metal in an ore or alloy; especially, the determination of the proportion of gold or silver in bullion or coin.
The alloy or metal to be assayed.
Verb
assay (third-person singular simple present assays, present participle assaying, simple past and past participle assayed)
(transitive) To attempt (something). [from 14th c.]
(archaic, intransitive) To try, attempt (to do something). [14th-19th c.]
(transitive) To analyze or estimate the composition or value of (a metal, ore etc.). [from 15th c.]
(obsolete, transitive) To test the abilities of (someone) in combat; to fight. [15th-17th c.]
To affect.
To try tasting, as food or drink.
Anagrams
• Asays, Yassa
Source: Wiktionary
As*say", n. Etym: [OF. asai, essai, trial, F. essa. See Essay, n.]
1. Trial; attempt; essay. [Obs.] Chaucer. I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton.
2. Examination and determination; test; as, an assay of bread or wine. [Obs.] This can not be, by no assay of reason. Shak.
3. Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried. [Obs.] Through many hard assays which did betide. Spenser.
4. Tested purity or value. [Obs.] With gold and pearl of rich assay. Spenser.
5. (Metallurgy)
Definition: The act or process of ascertaining the proportion of a particular metal in an ore or alloy; especially, the determination of the proportion of gold or silver in bullion or coin.
6. The alloy or metal to be assayed. Ure. Assay and essay are radically the same word; but modern usage has appropriated assay chiefly to experiments in metallurgy, and essay to intellectual and bodily efforts. See Essay.]
Note: Assay is used adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, assay balance, assay furnace. Assay master, an officer who assays or tests gold or silver coin or bullion.
– Assay ton, a weight of 29.1662/3 grams.
As*say", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Assaying.] Etym: [OF. asaier, essaier, F. essayer, fr. essai. See Assay, n., Essay, v.]
1. To try; to attempt; to apply. [Obs. or Archaic] To-night let us assay our plot. Shak. Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed. Milton.
2. To affect. [Obs.] When the heart is ill assayed. Spenser.
3. To try tasting, as food or drink. [Obs.]
4. To subject, as an ore, alloy, or other metallic compound, to chemical or metallurgical examination, in order to determine the amount of a particular metal contained in it, or to ascertain its composition.
As*say", v. i.
Definition: To attempt, try, or endeavor. [Archaic. In this sense essay is now commonly used.] She thrice assayed to speak. Dryden.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
6 May 2025
HEEDLESS
(adjective) marked by or paying little heed or attention; “We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics”--Franklin D. Roosevelt; “heedless of danger”; “heedless of the child’s crying”
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