Assay

n. [O. Fr. asale, assai, N. Fr. essai, Pr. essay, Sp. ensayo, Pg. ensaio, It. saggio, from Lat. exagium, a weighing, a balance, from ex and agere, to put in motion, to lead, to drive. Cf. examen for examen, a means of examining, a weighing, the tongue of a balance; Gr. ἐξάγιον, weighing, ἐξαγιάζειν, to examine.]

1Sense 1. Trial; attempt; essay. [Obs.] I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton.

2Sense 2. An adventure or enterprise; experience. [Obs.] Through many hard assays which did betide. Spenser.

3Sense 3. Emotion. [Obs.] “Strove to master sorrowful assay.” Spenser.

4Sense 4. (Chem.) The determination of the quantity of any particular metal in an ore, or other metallic compound alloy; or more especially the determination of the quantity of gold or silver in coin or bullion.

5Sense 5. The substance to be assayed. Ure.

6Sense 6. Value or purity, as ascertained by the application of some test. [Obs.] With gold and pearl of rich assay. Spenser.

7Sense 7. Examination and determination. This can not be by no assay of reason. Shak.

8Sense 8. (Law.) An examination of weights and measures by the standard. Cowell.

☞ Assay and essay are radically one word; but modern usage has appropriated assay to experiments in metallurgy, and essay to intellectual and bodily efforts. Cf. Essay.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. ASSAYED; p. pr. & vb. n. ASSAYING.] [O. Fr. asaier, essayer, N. Fr. essayer, Pr. essaiar, Sp. ensayar, It. saggiare, assaggiare, to try, essay. See supra.]

1Sense 1. To subject, as an ore, alloy, or other metallic compound, to chemical examination, in order to determine the amount of a particular metal contained in it.

2Sense 2. To apply; to try. [Obs.] “Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed.” Milton.

3Sense 3. To affect. [Obs.] “When the heart is ill assayed.” Spenser.