assay

American  

[a-sey, as-ey, a-sey] / æˈseɪ, ˈæs eɪ, æˈseɪ /

verb (used with object)

1. to examine or analyze.

   to assay a situation; to assay an event.

2. Metallurgy. to analyze (an ore, alloy, etc.) in order to determine the quantity of gold, silver, or other metal in it.

3. Pharmacology. to subject (a drug) to an analysis for the determination of its potency or composition.

4. to judge the quality of; assess; evaluate.

   to assay someone's efforts.

5. to try or test; put to trial.

   to assay one's strength; to assay one's debating abilities.

6. to attempt; try; essay.

   to assay a dance step.

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verb (used without object)

1. to contain, as shown by analysis, a certain proportion of usually precious metal.

noun

1. Metallurgy. determination of the amount of metal, especially gold or silver, in an ore, alloy, etc.

2. a substance undergoing analysis or trial.

3. a detailed report of the findings in assaying a substance.

4. Archaic. examination; trial; attempt; essay.

assay British  

verb

1. to subject (a substance, such as silver or gold) to chemical analysis, as in the determination of the amount of impurity

2. (tr) to attempt (something or to do something)

3. (tr; may take a clause as object) to test, analyse, or evaluate

   to assay the significance of early childhood experience

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noun

1. 1. an analysis, esp a determination of the amount of metal in an ore or the amounts of impurities in a precious metal

   2. ( as modifier )

      an assay office

2. a substance undergoing an analysis

3. a written report on the results of an analysis

4. a test

5. archaic an attempt

assay Scientific  

/ ăs′ā,ə-sā′ /

1. A quantitative determination of the amount of a given substance in a particular sample. Assays are regularly used to determine the purity of precious metals. They can be performed by wet methods or dry methods. In the wet method, the sample is dissolved in a reagent, like an acid, until the purified metal is separated out. In the dry method, the sample is mixed with a flux (a substance such as borax or silica that helps lower the melting temperature) and then the sample is heated to the point where impurities in the metal fuse with the flux, leaving the purified metal as a residue.

2. A bioassay.

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Other Word Forms

• assayable adjective
• assayer noun
• unassayed adjective
• unassaying adjective

Etymology

Origin of assay

1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French; variant of essay

Example Sentences

After measuring ethanol levels using an enzymatic assay, the team estimated daily alcohol intake for several nectar-feeding species based on their caloric needs.

From Science Daily

The liver fibrosis assay described in the study remains a prototype and has not yet been introduced as a clinical test.

From Science Daily

The analysts expect management to continue highlighting uptake of innovative instruments and assays in areas like pathology and immunoassay through the year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Further tests, including RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and biochemical assays, confirmed that lysosomes in these cells were indeed defective.

From Science Daily

Using an assay created by the Crick researchers, they confirmed that these compounds successfully blocked the RAS-PI3K interaction but still allowed PI3K to perform its other roles, including those related to insulin signaling.

From Science Daily