Assay

[ə'seɪ;'æseɪ] or [ə'se]

Definition

(noun.) 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..

(noun.) an appraisal of the state of affairs; 'they made an assay of the contents'; 'a check on its dependability under stress'.

(noun.) a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance.

(noun.) a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components.

(verb.) analyze (chemical substances).

Checked by Casey--From WordNet

Definition

(n.) Trial; attempt; essay.

(n.) Examination and determination; test; as, an assay of bread or wine.

(n.) Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried.

(n.) Tested purity or value.

(n.) 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.

(n.) The alloy or metal to be assayed.

(v.) To try; to attempt; to apply.

(v.) To affect.

(v.) To try tasting, as food or drink.

(v.) 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.

(v. i.) To attempt, try, or endeavor.

Typist: Nicholas

Synonyms and Synonymous

n. Trial (particularly to determine the quantity of metal in an ore), test, examination, experiment, proof, touchstone, ordeal.

v. a. Try, test, put to the test, make trial of.

v. n. Try, endeavor, attempt, essay.

Editor: Sweeney

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Test, endeavor, prove, try

ANT:Survey, conjecture, guess, scan

Edited by Barrett

Definition

v.t. to determine the proportions of a metal in an ore or alloy: endeavour (more usually Essay): (Spens.) to affect or move: (Shak.) to put one to the proof as to accost with a particular purpose to measure swords with another &c.: (poet.) put to proof examine by trial.—v.i. to attempt.—n. the determination of the quantity of metal in an ore or alloy: the trial of anything as in the ancient custom of tasting the drink before handing it to a king or noble: an attempt or endeavour: probation or trial: (Spens.) ascertained purity.—ns. Assay′er one who assays esp. metals; Assay′ing the process of assaying or determining the proportion of pure metal in an ore or alloy; Assay′-mas′ter the officer who determines the amount of gold or silver in coin or bullion.

Checked by Evan