Part 698

<note>&hand; <i>Assay</i> is used adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, <i>assay</i> balance, <i>assay</i> furnace.</note>

<cs><col>Assay master</col>, <cd>an officer who assays or tests gold or silver coin or bullion.</cd> -- <col>Assay ton</col>, <cd>a weight of 29.166\'a6 grams.</cd></cs>

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

<hw>As*say"</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Assayed</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Assaying</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OF. <ets>asaier</ets>, <ets>essaier</ets>, F. <ets>essayer</ets>, fr. <ets>essai</ets>. See <er>Assay</er>, <tt>n.</tt>, <er>Essay</er>, <ets>v</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To try; to attempt; to apply.</def> <mark>[Obs. or Archaic]</mark>

<blockquote>To-night let us <b>assay</b> our plot. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Soft words to his fierce passion she <b>assayed</b>. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To affect.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>When the heart is ill <b>assayed</b>. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To try tasting, as food or drink.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>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.</def>

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

<hw>As*say"</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To attempt, try, or endeavor.</def> <mark>[Archaic. In this sense <i>essay</i> is now commonly used.]</mark>

<blockquote>She thrice <b>assayed</b> to speak. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Assayable</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*say"a*ble</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>That may be assayed.</def>

<h1>Assayer</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*say"er</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who assays. Specifically: One who examines metallic ores or compounds, for the purpose of determining the amount of any particular metal in the same, especially of gold or silver.</def>

<h1>Assaying</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As*say"ing</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act or process of testing, esp. of analyzing or examining metals and ores, to determine the proportion of pure metal.</def>

<h1>Asse</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>Asse</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small foxlike animal (<spn>Vulpes cama</spn>) of South Africa, valued for its fur.</def>

<h1>Assecuration</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As`se*cu*ra"tion</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[LL. <ets>assecuratio</ets>, fr. <ets>assecurare</ets>.]</ety> <def>Assurance; certainty.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Assecure</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As`se*cure"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[LL. <ets>assecurare</ets>.]</ety> <def>To make sure or safe; to assure.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Hooker.</i>

<h1>Assecution</h1> <Xpage=90>

<hw>As`se*cu"tion</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>ass\'82cution</ets>, fr. L. <ets>assequi</ets> to obtain; <ets>ad + sequi</ets> to follow.]</ety> <def>An obtaining or acquiring.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>