to estimate officially the value of (property, income, etc.) as a basis for taxation.
2.
to fix or determine the amount of (damages, a tax, a fine, etc.): The hurricane damage was assessed at six million dollars.
3.
to impose a tax or other charge on.
4.
to estimate or judge the value, character, etc., of; evaluate: to assess one's efforts.
[Origin: 1400–50; late ME assessen < ML assessāre to assess a tax, deriv. of L asséssus seated beside (a judge) (ptp. of assidére), equiv. to as-as-+ sed- (s. of sedére to sit) + -tus ptp. suffix]
To set or determine the amount of (a payment, such as a tax or fine).
To charge (a person or property) with a special payment, such as a tax or fine.
Sports To charge a player, coach, or team with (a foul or penalty).
To determine the value, significance, or extent of; appraise. See Synonyms at estimate.
[Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Latin assidēre, assess-, to sit by as an assistant judge : ad-, ad- + sedēre, to sit; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
1423, "to fix the amount (of a tax, fine, etc.)," from Anglo-Fr. assesser, from M.L. assessare "fix a tax upon," originally frequentative of L. assidere "to sit beside" (and thus to assist in the office of a judge), from ad- "to" + sedere "to sit." One of the judge's assistant's jobs was to fix the amount of a fine or tax. Meaning "to estimate the value of property for the purpose of taxing it" is from 1809; transf. sense of "to judge the value of a person, idea, etc." is from 1934.
evaluate or estimate the nature, quality, ability, extent, or significance of; "I will have the family jewels appraised by a professional"; "access all the factors when taking a risk" [syn: measure]
2.
charge (a person or a property) with a payment, such as a tax or a fine
3.
set or determine the amount of (a payment such as a fine) [syn: tax]
4.
estimate the value of (property) for taxation; "Our house hasn't been assessed in years"
As*sess"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Assessing.] [OF. assesser to regulate, settle, LL. assessare to value for taxation, fr. L. assidere, supine as if assessum, to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, in LL. to assess, tax. Cf. Assize, v., Cess.]1. To value; to make a valuation or official estimate of for the purpose of taxation. 2. To apportion a sum to be paid by (a person, a community, or an estate), in the nature of a tax, fine, etc.; to impose a tax upon (a person, an estate, or an income) according to a rate or apportionment. 3. To determine and impose a tax or fine upon (a person, community, estate, or income); to tax; as, the club assessed each member twenty-five cents. 4. To fix or determine the rate or amount of. This sum is assessed and raised upon individuals by commissioners in the act. --Blackstone.
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