assay - Definitions from Dictionary.com

14 results for: assay

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

as·say

Audio Help [v. a-sey; n. as-ey, a-sey] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object)

1.	to examine or analyze: to assay a situation; to assay an event.

2.	Metallurgy. to analyze (an ore, alloy, etc.) in order to determine the quantity of gold, silver, or other metal in it.

3.	Pharmacology. to subject (a drug) to an analysis for the determination of its potency or composition.

4.	to judge the quality of; assess; evaluate: to assay someone's efforts.

5.	to try or test; put to trial: to assay one's strength; to assay one's debating abilities.

6.	to attempt; try; essay: to assay a dance step.

–verb (used without object)

7.	to contain, as shown by analysis, a certain proportion of usually precious metal.

–noun

8.	Metallurgy. determination of the amount of metal, esp. gold or silver, in an ore, alloy, etc.

9.	a substance undergoing analysis or trial.

10.	a detailed report of the findings in assaying a substance.

11.	Archaic. examination; trial; attempt; essay.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME < MF; var. of essay

]

—Related forms

as·say·a·ble, adjective

as·say·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
assay

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

as·say Audio Help (ās'ā', ā-sā') Pronunciation Key
n.

1. Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a metal or ore to determine its components.
2. A substance to be so analyzed.
3. The result of such an analysis.
An analysis or examination.
A bioassay.
Archaic An attempt; an essay.

v. (ā-sā', ās'ā') as·sayed, as·say·ing, as·says

v. tr.

1. To subject (a metal, for example) to chemical analysis so as to determine the strength or quality of its components.
2. To bioassay.
To examine by trial or experiment; put to a test: assay one's ability to speak Chinese.
To evaluate; assess: assayed the situation before taking action. See Synonyms at estimate.
To attempt; try.

v. intr.
To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of usually precious metal.

[Middle English, from Old French essai, assai; see essay.]

as·say'a·ble adj., as·say'er n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
assay (v.)

1330, from Anglo-Fr. assaier, from assai (n.), from O.Fr. essai "trial" (see essay).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

assay
noun
1.	an appraisal of the state of affairs; "they made an assay of the contents"; "a check on its dependability under stress"
2.	a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
3.	a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
4.	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.
verb
1.	analyze (chemical substances)
2.	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" [syn: try]

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

assay Audio Help (ās'ā, ə-sā') Pronunciation Key

A quantitative determination of the amount of a given substance in a particular sample. Assays are regularly used to determine the purity of precious metals. They can be performed by wet methods or dry methods. In the wet method, the sample is dissolved in a reagent, like an acid, until the purified metal is separated out. In the dry method, the sample is mixed with a flux (a substance such as borax or silica that helps lower the melting temperature) and then heated to the point where impurities in the metal fuse with the flux, leaving the purified metal as a residue.
A bioassay.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

assay as·say (ās'ā', ā-sā')
n.

Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a substance, especially of an ore or a drug, to determine its components.
A substance to be so analyzed.
The result of such an analysis.
An analysis or examination.

v. as·sayed, as·say·ing, as·says (ā-sā', ās'ā')

To subject a substance to chemical analysis.
To examine a person's capability by trial or experiment; put to a test.
To evaluate a situation; assess.
To attempt; try.
To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of atoms, molecules, compounds, or precious metal.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ¹as·say
Pronunciation: 'as-"A, a-'sA
Function: noun
1 : examination and determination as to characteristics (as weight,measure, or quality)
2 : analysis (as of a drug) to determine the presence, absence, or quantity of one or more components —compare BIOASSAY
3 : a substance to be assayed; also : the tabulated result of assaying

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ²as·say
Pronunciation: a-'sA, 'as-"A
Function: transitive verb
: to analyze (an impure substance or mixture) for one or morespecific components assayed for drug content>

Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Assay

The act of testing the purity of precious metals.

Investopedia Commentary

In futures contracts where the underlying commodities are precious metals, the quality must be assayed to ensure that they are of basis grade.

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Futures Fundamentals

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This
assay

A test to determine the purity of gold, silver, or other precious metals. Metals used for delivery of futures contracts must be assayed to verify that they meet standardsestablished by the exchange on which the contracts trade.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Assay

As*say"\, n. [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) 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.

Usage: 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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

assay

As*say"\, n. [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) 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.

Usage: 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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Assay

As*say"\, n. [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) 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.

Usage: 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.

On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

assay

assay: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary

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