Part 697

<blockquote>Practically, however, the word <b>assault</b> is used to include the battery. <i>Mozley & W.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught; charge; storm.</syn>

<h1>Assault</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*sault"</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Assaulted</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Assaulting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[From <er>Assault</er>, <tt>n.</tt>: cf. OF. <ets>assaulter</ets>, LL. <ets>assaltare</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To make an assault upon, as by a sudden rush of armed men; to attack with unlawful or insulting physical violence or menaces.</def>

<blockquote>Insnared, <b>assaulted</b>, overcome, led bound. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing moral effects; to attack by words, arguments, or unfriendly measures; to assail; <as>as, to <ex>assault</ex> a reputation or an administration</as>.</def>

<blockquote>Before the gates, the cries of babes newborn, . . . <b>Assault</b> his ears. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; In the latter sense, <i>assail</i> is more common.</note>

<syn>Syn. -- To attack; assail; invade; encounter; storm; charge. See <er>Attack</er>.</syn>

<h1>Assaultable</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*sault"a*ble</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Capable of being assaulted.</def>

<h1>Assaulter</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*sault"er</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who assaults, or violently attacks; an assailant.</def>

<i>E. Hall.</i>

<h1>Assay</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*say"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>asai</ets>, <ets>essai</ets>, trial, F. <ets>essa</ets>. See <er>Essay</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Trial; attempt; essay.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<blockquote>I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the <b>assay</b> than it now seems at distance. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Examination and determination; test; <as>as, an <ex>assay</ex> of bread or wine</as>.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>This can not be, by no <b>assay</b> of reason. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Through many hard <b>assays</b> which did betide. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Tested purity or value.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>With gold and pearl of rich <b>assay</b>. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <fld>(Metallurgy)</fld> <def>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.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>The alloy or metal to be assayed.</def>

<i>Ure.</i>

<usage><uex>Assay</uex> and <uex>essay</usex> are radically the same word; but modern usage has appropriated <uex>assay</uex> chiefly to experiments in metallurgy, and <uex>essay</uex> to intellectual and bodily efforts. See <er>Essay</er>.]