as·say ( s   , -s)n. 1. a. Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a metal or ore to determine its components. b. A substance to be so analyzed. c. The result of such an analysis. 2. An analysis or examination. 3. A bioassay. 4. Archaic An attempt; an essay. v. ( -s, s) as·sayed, as·say·ing, as·says v.tr. 1. a. To subject (a metal, for example) to chemical analysis so as to determine the strength or quality of its components. b. To bioassay. 2. To examine by trial or experiment; put to a test: assay one's ability to speak Chinese. 3. To evaluate; assess: assayed the situation before taking action. See Synonyms at estimate. 4. To attempt; try. v.intr. To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of usually precious metal. [Middle English, from Old French essai, assai; see essay.] as·say a·ble adj.as·say er n. |
assay
Verb
to analyse (a substance, such as gold) to find out how pure it is
Noun
an analysis of the purity of an ore or precious metal [Old French assai]
assay (s,  -s)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 heated to the point where impurities in the metal fuse with the flux, leaving the purified metal as a residue. 2. A bioassay. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | assay - an appraisal of the state of affairs; "they made an assay of the contents"; "a check on its dependability under stress" appraisal, assessment - the classification of someone or something with respect to its worth double check, countercheck - something that checks the correctness of a previous check Apgar score - an assessment of the physical condition of a newborn infant; involves heart rate and muscle tone and respiratory effort and color and reflex responsiveness paternity test - a test based on blood groups to determine whether a particular man could be the biological father of a particular child; negative results prove he was not the father but positive results show only that he could be stress test - a test measuring how a system functions when subjected to controlled amounts of stress |
| 2. | assay - a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components substance - a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties; "shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man" | |
| 3. | assay - a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance report, written report, study - a written document describing the findings of some individual or group; "this accords with the recent study by Hill and Dale" | |
| 4. | assay - 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. trial, run, test - the act of testing something; "in the experimental trials the amount of carbon was measured separately"; "he called each flip of the coin a new trial" ELISA, enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay - an assay that relies on an enzymatic conversion reaction and is used to detect the presence of specific substances (such as enzymes or viruses or antibodies or bacteria) immunohistochemistry - an assay that shows specific antigens in tissues by the use of markers that are either fluorescent dyes or enzymes (such as horseradish peroxidase) diagnostic assay, diagnostic test - an assay conducted for diagnostic purposes | |
| Verb | 1. | assay - analyze (chemical substances) analyse, analyze, examine, study, canvass, canvas - consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning; "analyze a sonnet by Shakespeare"; "analyze the evidence in a criminal trial"; "analyze your real motives" bioassay - subject to a bio-assay |
| 2. |  assay - make an effort or attempt; "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"pick up the gauntlet, take a dare - be dared to do something and attempt it act, move - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel" struggle, fight - make a strenuous or labored effort; "She struggled for years to survive without welfare"; "He fought for breath" have a go, give it a try - make an attempt at something; "I never sat on a horse before but I'll give it a go" grope - search blindly or uncertainly; "His mind groped to make the connection" endeavor, endeavour, strive - attempt by employing effort; "we endeavor to make our customers happy" give it a try, give it a whirl - try; "let's give it a whirl!" adventure, gamble, run a risk, take a chance, take chances, risk, chance, hazard - take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome; "When you buy these stocks you are gambling" lay on the line, put on the line, risk - expose to a chance of loss or damage; "We risked losing a lot of money in this venture"; "Why risk your life?"; "She laid her job on the line when she told the boss that he was wrong" |
assay
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