assess definition | Dictionary.com

as⋅sess

[uh-ses]

–verb (used with object)

1.	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 assēssus seated beside (a judge) (ptp. of assidēre), equiv. to as- as- + sed- (s. of sedēre to sit ) + -tus ptp. suffix

Related forms:

as⋅sess⋅a⋅ble, adjective

Synonyms:
2. appraise, adjust. 4. appraise.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To assess

as·sess (ə-sěs')

tr.v. as·sessed, as·sess·ing, as·sess·es

To estimate the value of (property) for taxation.
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.]
as·sess'a·ble adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Assess

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source

Language Translation for : assess

Spanish: evaluar,

German: abschätzen,

Japanese: ～と見なす

More Translations »

assess

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.

Main Entry: as·sess
Pronunciation: &-'ses
Function: transitive verb
1 : to determine the rate or amount of (as a tax)
2 a : to impose (as a tax) according to an established rate b : to subject to a tax, charge, or levy assessed an additional five dollars>
3 : to make an official valuation of (property) for the purposes of taxation —as·sess·able /&-'se-s&-b&l/ adjective —as·sess·ment noun

Search another word or see assess on Thesaurus | Reference

Assessment Creation Tools
Create your own online assessments. No programming, great results.

www.knowledgepresenter.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Advertise with Us · Link to Us · NASCAR® · Contact Us