"assay" meaning in Middle English

See assay in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /aˈsæi̯/, /ˈasæi̯/, /sæi̯/ Forms: assayes [plural], assai [alternative], assaie [alternative], asaie [alternative], assaye [alternative], asay [alternative], say [alternative], sai [alternative]
Rhymes: -æi̯ Etymology: Borrowed from Anglo-Norman assai, from Late Latin exagium. Etymology templates: {{bor|enm|xno|assai}} Anglo-Norman assai, {{der|enm|LL.|exagium}} Late Latin exagium Head templates: {{head|enm|nouns|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} assay, {{enm-noun|assayes}} assay (plural assayes)
  1. Examining; investigation, looking into, research:
    Trialling, assaying; the ensuring of quality (usually of a substance, but also of a document)
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-RASSiAdj Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Trading, War Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 2 0 2 7 4 4 4 2 2 4 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 4 3 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 2 1 1 8 8 4 5 2 2 2 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 1 3 1 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 0 0 8 5 4 5 1 1 3 4 1 1 15 15 15 15 1 1 4 1 1 Disambiguation of Trading: 16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12 Disambiguation of War: 27 4 30 4 1 16 0 17 1
  2. Examining; investigation, looking into, research:
    The trial or testing of one's personality or personal qualities.
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-9XpkMCRp Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Trading Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 2 0 2 7 4 4 4 2 2 4 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 4 3 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 2 1 1 8 8 4 5 2 2 2 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 1 3 1 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 0 0 8 5 4 5 1 1 3 4 1 1 15 15 15 15 1 1 4 1 1 Disambiguation of Trading: 16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12
  3. Examining; investigation, looking into, research:
    An attack (as a trial of one's mettle or ability on the battlefield)
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-NLtLHwaG Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Law, Trading, War Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 2 0 2 7 4 4 4 2 2 4 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 4 3 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 2 1 1 8 8 4 5 2 2 2 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 1 3 1 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 0 0 8 5 4 5 1 1 3 4 1 1 15 15 15 15 1 1 4 1 1 Disambiguation of Law: 6 3 12 3 1 33 0 40 3 Disambiguation of Trading: 16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12 Disambiguation of War: 27 4 30 4 1 16 0 17 1
  4. Examining; investigation, looking into, research:
    The trialling of comestibles or nourishments (mostly in ceremony)
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-T-Pfx2ne Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Food and drink, Trading Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 2 0 2 7 4 4 4 2 2 4 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 4 3 2 2 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 2 1 1 8 8 4 5 2 2 2 4 1 2 13 13 13 13 1 1 3 1 2 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 0 0 8 5 4 5 1 1 3 4 1 1 15 15 15 15 1 1 4 1 1 Disambiguation of Food and drink: 33 0 0 67 0 0 0 0 0 Disambiguation of Trading: 16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12
  5. A try or effort towards something.
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-XhvAs4iR
  6. (rare) Facts in support in assertion; evidence. Tags: rare
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-YBjQwYRq Categories (other): Law, War Disambiguation of Law: 6 3 12 3 1 33 0 40 3 Disambiguation of War: 27 4 30 4 1 16 0 17 1
  7. (rare) One's personality; the nature of something or someone. Tags: rare
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-IH3mOUCT Categories (other): Personality Disambiguation of Personality: 0 33 0 0 0 0 67 0 0
  8. (rare) A deed, action or doing; an endeavour or business. Tags: rare
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-noun-dPU7D8uc Categories (other): Law, War Disambiguation of Law: 6 3 12 3 1 33 0 40 3 Disambiguation of War: 27 4 30 4 1 16 0 17 1
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: assayen, assayour, assaynge
Etymology number: 1

Verb

Head templates: {{head|enm|verb|altform=1}} assay
  1. Alternative form of assayen Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: assayen
    Sense id: en-assay-enm-verb-nZ1xyDus Categories (other): Trading Disambiguation of Trading: 16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "assayen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "assayour"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "assaynge"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
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      "text": "English: assay, say"
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      "expansion": "Anglo-Norman assai",
      "name": "bor"
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      "args": {
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        "2": "LL.",
        "3": "exagium"
      },
      "expansion": "Late Latin exagium",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Anglo-Norman assai, from Late Latin exagium.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "assayes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "assai",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "assaie",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
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    },
    {
      "form": "asaie",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "assaye",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "asay",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "say",
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        "alternative"
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      "expansion": "assay",
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      "args": {
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  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
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      "glosses": [
        "Examining; investigation, looking into, research:",
        "Trialling, assaying; the ensuring of quality (usually of a substance, but also of a document)"
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      "links": [
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          "Trialling",
          "trialling"
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          "assaying",
          "assaying"
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    },
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        "A try or effort towards something."
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      "id": "en-assay-enm-noun-XhvAs4iR",
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          "try",
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      ],
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        "Facts in support in assertion; evidence."
      ],
      "id": "en-assay-enm-noun-YBjQwYRq",
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          "support",
          "support"
        ],
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          "evidence"
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        "(rare) Facts in support in assertion; evidence."
      ],
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      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's personality; the nature of something or someone."
      ],
      "id": "en-assay-enm-noun-IH3mOUCT",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(rare) One's personality; the nature of something or someone."
      ],
      "tags": [
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        "A deed, action or doing; an endeavour or business."
      ],
      "id": "en-assay-enm-noun-dPU7D8uc",
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        "(rare) A deed, action or doing; an endeavour or business."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
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  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/aˈsæi̯/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈasæi̯/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/sæi̯/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æi̯"
    }
  ],
  "word": "assay"
}

{
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        {
          "word": "assayen"
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          "_dis": "16 16 16 16 8 9 2 6 12",
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          "assayen#Middle_English"
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{
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    "enm:Trading",
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  "derived": [
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    {
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  ],
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  ],
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        "alternative"
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        "alternative"
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        "Examining; investigation, looking into, research:",
        "Trialling, assaying; the ensuring of quality (usually of a substance, but also of a document)"
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        "Examining; investigation, looking into, research:",
        "The trial or testing of one's personality or personal qualities."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Examining; investigation, looking into, research:",
        "An attack (as a trial of one's mettle or ability on the battlefield)"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Examining; investigation, looking into, research:",
        "The trialling of comestibles or nourishments (mostly in ceremony)"
      ]
    },
    {
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        "A try or effort towards something."
      ],
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          "try",
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          "effort",
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        "Facts in support in assertion; evidence."
      ],
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          "evidence",
          "evidence"
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      ],
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        "(rare) Facts in support in assertion; evidence."
      ],
      "tags": [
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    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One's personality; the nature of something or someone."
      ],
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        "(rare) One's personality; the nature of something or someone."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A deed, action or doing; an endeavour or business."
      ],
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        "(rare) A deed, action or doing; an endeavour or business."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
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    {
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    },
    {
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    },
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      "ipa": "/sæi̯/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æi̯"
    }
  ],
  "word": "assay"
}

{
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    "Middle English alternative forms",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Food and drink",
    "enm:Law",
    "enm:Personality",
    "enm:Trading",
    "enm:War"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "verb",
        "altform": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "assay",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "assayen"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of assayen"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "assayen",
          "assayen#Middle_English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "assay"
}

Download raw JSONL data for assay meaning in Middle English (4.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-06-07 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (92124b4 and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.