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Meaning of assay in English
Pronunciation
/æˈseɪ/
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Verb
assay
Definitions
1.
analyze (chemical substances)
2.
make an effort or attempt
Examples
« He tried to shake off his fears »
« The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps »
« The police attempted to stop the thief »
« He sought to improve himself »
« She always seeks to do good in the world »
Noun
assay
Etymology
Middle English (in the general sense ‘testing, or a test of, the merit of someone or something’): from Old French assai (noun), assaier (verb), variant of essai‘trial’, essayer‘to try’ (see essay)
Definitions
1.
an appraisal of the state of affairs
Examples
« they made an assay of the contents »
« a check on its dependability under stress »
2.
a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
3.
a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
4.
a quantitative or qualitative test of a substance (especially an ore or a drug) to determine its components
Examples
« frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies etc. »