assaying

Verb

assay (third-person singular simple present assays, present participle assaying, simple past and past participle assayed)

1. (transitive) To attempt (something).
   • To-night let us assay our plot.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
2. (archaic, intransitive) To try, attempt (to do something).
   • When Saul cam to Jerusalem he assayde to cople hymsilfe with the apostles, and they wer all afrayde of hym and beleved not that he was a disciple.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts
3. (transitive) To analyze or estimate the composition or value of (a metal, ore etc.).
4. (obsolete, transitive) To test the abilities of (someone) in combat; to fight.
   • I wold not by my wille that ony of vs were matched with hym
     Nay said sir Gawayne not so
     it were shame to vs were he not assayed were he neuer soo good a knyghte1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xviij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book IV
5. To affect.
   • when the heart is ill assay'd1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “August. Ægloga Octaua.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC
6. To try tasting, as food or drink.

See all 13 meanings of assay