Assay

Assay - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

ASSA'Y, n. [L. sequor; assequor, to follow, to examine. See Essay.]

1. The trial of the goodness, purity, weight, value, _c. of metals or metallic substances. Any operation or experiement for ascertaining the quantity of a precious metal in an ore or mineral. Analysis is a term of more comprehensive import, extending to an examination of the nature and quantities of all parts of the compound.

2. In law, an examination of weights and measures by the standard.

3. Examination; trial; effort; first entrance upon any business; attempt. In these senses, which are found in old authors, now rarely used. [See Essay.]

4. Value; great purity. Obs.

ASSA'Y, v.t.

1. To try or prove, by examination or experiment, the quantity and purity of metallic substances.

2. To apply to the touchstone.

ASSA'Y, v.i. To attempt, try or endeavor.

He assayed to go. 1 Sam 17.

[In this sense essay is now used.]

a-sa' (ya'al; nacah; peirdzein; peirasthai; peiran lambanein): The Hebrew and Greek words which are rendered in the King James Version "assay" are so rendered in the Revised Version (British and American), and the use of it is extended in the Revised Version (British and American) in two additional cases. The Hebrew word ya'al (1Sa 17:39) is used of David clad in Saul's armor, who "assayed," that is, "tried unsuccessfully," to go and attack Goliath in it, for "he had not proved it," where nacah is the verb. In De 4:34 and Job 4:2 nacah is rendered "assay," in the sense of "attempt," "venture." In Ac 16:7 Paul is said to have "assayed," that is, "attempted" (but was hindered), to go into Bithynia, and now in Ac 24:6 Paul is charged with having "assayed," that is, "having had the audacity," to profane the temple, where peirazein is the verb used in both cases. In Ac 9:26, and now in the Revised Version (British and American) Ac 26:21, "assay," renders the verb peirasthai, "to attempt," in both cases unsuccessfully. In Heb 11:29 it translates two Greek words peiran lambanein "to make an attempt unsuccessfully."

T. Nicol.