DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 As·say, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assayed p. pr. & vb. n. Assaying.]
 1. To try; to attempt; to apply. [Obs. or Archaic]
    To-night let us assay our plot.   --Shak.
    Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed.   --Milton.
 2. To affect. [Obs.]
    When the heart is ill assayed.   --Spenser.
 3. To try tasting, as food or drink. [Obs.]
 4. 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.