assay

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a metal or ore to determine its components.
2. n. A substance to be so analyzed.
3. n. The result of such an analysis.
4. n. An analysis or examination.
5. n. A bioassay.
6. n. Archaic An attempt; an essay.
7. v. To subject (a metal, for example) to chemical analysis so as to determine the strength or quality of its components.
8. v. To bioassay.
9. v. To examine by trial or experiment; put to a test: assay one's ability to speak Chinese.
10. v. To evaluate; assess: assayed the situation before taking action. See Synonyms at estimate.
11. v. To attempt; try.
12. v. To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of usually precious metal.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Examination; trial; attempt; essay.
2. n. Hence Trial by danger; risk; adventure.
3. n. Trial; tribulation; affiiction.
4. n. The trial of the purity, weight, etc., of metals or metallic substances, as ores and alloys; any operation or experiment for ascertaining the quantity of a precious metal in an ore or a mineral, or in coin or bullion. See assaying.
5. n. The substance to be assayed. Ure.
6. n. In law, an examination of weights and measures by the standard. Cowell.
7. n. Formerly, the act or custom of tasting the food or drink intended for another, as a king, before presenting it.
8. n. Value; ascertained purity: as, “stones of rich assay,”
9. To examine by trial; put to test or trial; try the effect or merit of: as, to assay armor.
10. Specifically To make trial of or analyze, as an ore or metallic compound, with the view of determining the proportion of a particular metal present in it.
11. To attempt; endeavor; essay: often with an infinitive as object.
12. To endeavor to influence.
13. To affect; move.
14. To make an attempt or endeavor; try.

Wiktionary

1. n. trial, attempt, essay.
2. n. the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. obsolete Trial; attempt; essay.
2. n. obsolete Examination and determination; test.
3. n. obsolete Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried.
4. n. obsolete Tested purity or value.
5. n. (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. n. The alloy or metal to be assayed.
7. v. Obs. or Archaic To try; to attempt; to apply.
8. v. obsolete To affect.
9. v. obsolete To try tasting, as food or drink.
10. 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.
11. v. Archaic. In this sense essay is now commonly used. To attempt, try, or endeavor.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
2. v. make an effort or attempt
3. n. a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
4. v. analyze (chemical substances)
5. n. 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.
6. n. an appraisal of the state of affairs