assay

American  

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

verb (used with object)

assays, present (3rd person singular) assayed, past participle, past assaying present participle

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)

assays, present (3rd person singular) assayed, past participle, past assaying present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has assayed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have assayed
  perfect
• are assaying
  progressive
• has been assaying
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is assaying
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been assaying
  perfect progressive
• am assaying
  progressive 1st person singular
• assaying
  participle
• assays
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had assayed
  perfect
• were assaying
  progressive plural
• was assaying
  progressive singular
• had been assaying
  perfect progressive
• assayed
  simple
• assayed
  participle

Future

• will assay
  simple
• will have assayed
  perfect
• will have been assaying
  perfect progressive
• will be assaying
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of assay

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

Explanation

An assay is a breakdown of a material, examining the individual parts that make up the whole. When you assay a situation, you look at all the elements that created the problem in order to come up with a solution. The word assay comes from the French word essai, which means "trial," an appropriate sense for a word that means to examine for analysis. As a noun, assay means a test or appraisal to determine the components of a substance or object. As a verb, it refers to the act of analyzing, or of conducting that test. It is usually used in chemistry-related fields like metallurgy and pharmaceuticals, but you can also assay a poem.

Example Sentences

Using a high-powered microscope system designed by Baylink called the Chemosensory Injection Rig Assay, the researchers simulated intestinal bleeding by injecting microscopic amounts of human serum and watching as the bacteria navigated toward the source.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2024

Her work has appeared in the Missouri Review, Assay, G*Mob, Thrillist and other publications.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2023

The Goldsmiths still has a large role in London's jewellery trade, where its Assay Office hallmarks precious metals, and it supports apprentices.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2019

We incorporated the technology into software, dubbed Virtual Assay, which is easy for non-experts to use in modelling and simulations.

From Scientific American • Mar. 27, 2018

The principle and mode of working of this is the same as that given under the Sulphur Assay; but using a standard solution of sulphuric acid instead of one of barium chloride.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius