assaying
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Assaying \As*say"ing\, n. The act or process of testing, esp. of analyzing or examining metals and ores, to determine the proportion of pure metal. [1913 Webster]
Assay \As*say"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Assaying.] [OF. asaier, essaier, F. essayer, fr. essai. See Assay, n., Essay, v.]
1.To try; to attempt; to apply. [Obs. or Archaic] [1913 Webster]
To-night let us assay our plot.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
2.To affect. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
When the heart is ill assayed.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]
3.To try tasting, as food or drink. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]