ASSAY

I. noun see: essay Date: 14th century trial , attempt , examination and determination as to characteristics (as weight, measure, or quality), analysis (as of an ore or drug) to determine the presence, absence, or quantity of one or more components, a substance to be ~ed, II. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb try , attempt , 2. to analyze (as an ore) for one or more specific components, to judge the worth of ; estimate , intransitive verb to prove up in an ~, ~er noun