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

ASSAY

Etymology

Noun

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