noun
Meaning 1
Trial, attempt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
assay
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈæseɪ/
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/əˈseɪ/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -eɪ
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CMU ARPABET: AE1 S IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
Examination and determination; test.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
The qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
Tested purity or value.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
The alloy or metal to be assayed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To attempt (something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To try, attempt (to do something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To analyze or estimate the composition or value of (a metal, ore etc.).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To test the abilities of (someone) in combat; to fight.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To affect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
To try tasting, as food or drink.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 14
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.
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: test, trial, run
Narrower terms: enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, diagnostic test, diagnostic assay, bioassay, bio-assay
noun
Meaning 15
an appraisal of the state of affairs
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- they made an assay of the contents
- a check on its dependability under stress
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: check
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: appraisal, assessment
Narrower terms: countercheck, double check, Apgar score, paternity test, stress test
noun
Meaning 16
a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: report, study, written report
noun
Meaning 17
a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: substance
verb
Meaning 18
analyze (chemical substances)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: analyze, analyse, study, examine, canvass, canvas
Narrower terms: bioassay
verb
Meaning 19
make an effort or attempt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
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
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: try, seek, attempt, essay
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: act, move
Narrower terms: take a dare, pick up the gauntlet, fight, struggle, have a go, give it a try, grope, endeavor, endeavour, strive, give it a whirl, gamble, chance, risk, hazard, take chances, adventure, run a risk, take a chance, put on the line, lay on the line
History
Etymology
From Middle English assay (noun) and assayen (verb), from Anglo-Norman assai (noun) and Anglo-Norman assaier (verb), from Old French essai. Doublet of essay.
Across languages
Translations
83 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Azerbaijani: sınaq — trial, attempt, essay
- Bulgarian: опит (opit) — trial, attempt, essay
- Bulgarian: проба (proba) — trial, attempt, essay
- Catalan: assaig — trial, attempt, essay
- Catalan: temptativa — trial, attempt, essay
- Catalan: prova — trial, attempt, essay
- Czech: pokus — trial, attempt, essay
- Czech: zkouška — trial, attempt, essay
- Finnish: yritys — trial, attempt, essay
- French: essai — trial, attempt, essay
- French: test — trial, attempt, essay
- German: Versuch — trial, attempt, essay
- German: Prüfung — trial, attempt, essay
- German: Test — trial, attempt, essay
- German: Untersuchung — trial, attempt, essay
- Irish: measúnú — trial, attempt, essay
- Italian: prova — trial, attempt, essay
- Italian: tentativo — trial, attempt, essay
- Malay: cerakin — trial, attempt, essay
- Occitan: assag — trial, attempt, essay
- Occitan: ensag m temptativa — trial, attempt, essay
- Romanian: încercare — trial, attempt, essay
- Romanian: tentativă — trial, attempt, essay
- Russian: о́пыт (ópyt) — trial, attempt, essay
- Russian: испыта́ние (ispytánije) — trial, attempt, essay
- Spanish: ensayo — trial, attempt, essay
- Spanish: intento — trial, attempt, essay
- Spanish: prueba — trial, attempt, essay
- Spanish: ensaye — trial, attempt, essay
- Ottoman Turkish: فتنه (fitne) — trial, attempt, essay
- Bulgarian: анализ (analiz) — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Catalan: assaig — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Catalan: dosatge — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Czech: analýza — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Finnish: analyysi — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- French: essai — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- French: dosage — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- German: Assay — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- German: Analyse — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- German: Untersuchung — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Hungarian: analitikai biokémiai próba — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Hungarian: biokémiai próba — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Hungarian: analitikai próba — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Hungarian: próba — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Indonesian: asai — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Indonesian: esai — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Irish: measúnacht — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Italian: analisi — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Italian: saggiatura — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Italian: saggio — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Latin: obrussa — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Malay: cerakin — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Occitan: assag — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Occitan: dosatge — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Polish: próba — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Portuguese: ensaio — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Russian: про́ба (próba) — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Spanish: ensayo — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Spanish: ensay — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Spanish: ensaye — the qualitative or quantitative chemical analysis of something
- Azerbaijani: cəhd etmək — to attempt, to try
- Catalan: assajar de — to attempt, to try
- Catalan: provar (de) — to attempt, to try
- Catalan: tractar de — to attempt, to try
- Catalan: procurar de — to attempt, to try
- German: versuchen — to attempt, to try
- German: probieren — to attempt, to try
- Russian: пыта́ться (pytátʹsja) — to attempt, to try
- Spanish: probar — to attempt, to try
- Spanish: tratar — to attempt, to try
- Bulgarian: изпитвам (izpitvam) — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Bulgarian: правя анализ (pravja analiz) — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Catalan: contrastar — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Czech: analyzovat — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Dutch: essayeren — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Finnish: analysoida — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- French: analyser — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- German: analysieren — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Greek: αναλύω (analýo) — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Irish: measúnaigh — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Russian: определя́ть пробу (opredeljátʹ) — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Spanish: aquilatar — to analyze (a metal, compound)
- Spanish: analizar — to analyze (a metal, compound)