*say*

n. [ OF. asai, essai, trial, F. essa. See Essay, n. ] 1. Trial; attempt; essay. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Examination and determination; test; as, an assay of bread or wine. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

This can not be, by no assay of reason. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Trial by danger or by affliction; adventure; risk; hardship; state of being tried. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Through many hard assays which did betide. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Tested purity or value. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With gold and pearl of rich assay. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Metallurgy) The act or process of ascertaining the proportion of a particular metal in an ore or alloy; especially, the determination of the proportion of gold or silver in bullion or coin. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The alloy or metal to be assayed. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Assay and essay are radically the same word; but modern usage has appropriated assay chiefly to experiments in metallurgy, and essay to intellectual and bodily efforts. See Essay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Assay is used adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, assay balance, assay furnace. [ 1913 Webster ]

Assay master, an officer who assays or tests gold or silver coin or bullion. --
Assay ton, a weight of 29, 1662/3 grams. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

v. i. To attempt, try, or endeavor. [ Archaic. In this sense essay is now commonly used. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

She thrice assayed to speak. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be assayed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who assays. Specifically: One who examines metallic ores or compounds, for the purpose of determining the amount of any particular metal in the same, especially of gold or silver. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of testing, esp. of analyzing or examining metals and ores, to determine the proportion of pure metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A small standard weight used in assaying bullion, etc., sometimes equaling 0.5 gram, but varying with the assayer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. A weight of 29.166 + grams used in assaying, for convenience. Since it bears the same relation to the milligram that a ton of 2000 avoirdupois pounds does to the troy ounce, the weight in milligrams of precious metal obtained from an assay ton of ore gives directly the number of ounces to the ton. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ , n. [ OF. beseel, F. bisaïeul, fr. L. bis twice + LL. avolus, dim. of L. avus grandfather. ] 1. A great-grandfather. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A kind of writ which formerly lay where a great-grandfather died seized of lands in fee simple, and on the day of his death a stranger abated or entered and kept the heir out. This is now abolished. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. appraisal of the biological activity of a substance by testing its effect on an organism. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. 1 to subject to a bio-assay.
Syn. -- bio-assay. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A valuable kind of Peruvian bark obtained from the Cinchona Calisaya, and other closely related species. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Essays [ F. essai, fr. L. exagium a weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf. examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, Gr. 'exa`gion a weight, 'exagia`zein to examine, 'exa`gein to drive out, export. See Agent, and cf. Exact, Examine, Assay. ] 1. An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend. “The essay at organization.” M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Lit.) A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An assay. See Assay, n. [ Obs. ]

Syn. -- Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Essayed p. pr. & vb. n. Essaying. ] [ F. essayer. See Essay, n. ] 1. To exert one's power or faculties upon; to make an effort to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or trial of; to try. [ 1913 Webster ]

What marvel if I thus essay to sing? Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

Essaying nothing she can not perform. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible. J. C. Shairp. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay. [ Obs. ] Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who essays. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A writer of an essay, or of essays. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ AS. foresecgan; fore + secgan to say. See Say, v. t. ] To foretell. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Her danger nigh that sudden change foresaid. Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ AS. forsecgan to accuse; pref. for- + secgan to say. ] To forbid; to renounce; to forsake; to deny. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Gainsaid p. pr. & vb. n. Gainsaying. ] [ OE. geinseien, ageinseien. See Again, and Say to utter. ] To contradict; to deny; to controvert; to dispute; to forbid. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Luke xxi. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

The just gods gainsay
That any drop thou borrow'dst from thy mother,
My sacred aunt, should by my mortal sword
Be drained. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who gainsays, contradicts, or denies. “To convince the gainsayers.” Tit. i. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Report; rumor; fame; common talk; something heard from another. [ 1913 Webster ]

Much of the obloquy that has so long rested on the memory of our great national poet originated in frivolous hearsays of his life and conversation. Prof. Wilson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hearsay evidence (Law), that species of testimony which consists in a narration by one person of matters told him by another. It is, with a few exceptions, inadmissible as testimony. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To assay, or attempt, improperly or unsuccessfully. [ Obs. ] W. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To speak ill. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To say wrongly. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To speak evil of; to slander. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Incapable of being subdued.
Syn. -- indomitable, unsubduable. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To say over; to repeat. Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) See Pisé. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To try; to assay. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. imp. of See. Saw. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of assay. ] 1. Trial by sample; assay; sample; specimen; smack. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If those principal works of God . . . be but certain tastes and says, as it were, of that final benefit. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy tongue some say of breeding breathes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tried quality; temper; proof. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He found a sword of better say. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Essay; trial; attempt. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To give a say at, to attempt. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. saie, F. saie, fr. L. saga, equiv. to sagum, sagus, a coarse woolen mantle; cf. Gr. sa`gos. See Sagum. ] 1. A kind of silk or satin. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A delicate kind of serge, or woolen cloth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His garment neither was of silk nor say. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Said contracted from sayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Saying. ] [ OE. seggen, seyen, siggen, sayen, sayn, AS. secgan; akin to OS. seggian, D. zeggen, LG. seggen, OHG. sagēn, G. sagen, Icel. segja, Sw. säga, Dan. sige, Lith. sakyti; cf. OL. insece tell, relate, Gr. 'e`nnepe (for 'en-sepe), 'e`spete. Cf. Saga, Saw a saying. ] 1. To utter or express in words; to tell; to speak; to declare; as, he said many wise things. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arise, and say how thou camest here. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To repeat; to rehearse; to recite; to pronounce; as, to say a lesson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
In what thou hadst to say? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

After which shall be said or sung the following hymn. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To announce as a decision or opinion; to state positively; to assert; hence, to form an opinion upon; to be sure about; to be determined in mind as to. [ 1913 Webster ]

But what it is, hard is to say. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To mention or suggest as an estimate, hypothesis, or approximation; hence, to suppose; -- in the imperative, followed sometimes by the subjunctive; as, he had, say fifty thousand dollars; the fox had run, say ten miles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Say, for nonpayment that the debt should double,
Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is said, or
They say, it is commonly reported; it is rumored; people assert or maintain. --
That is to say, that is; in other words; otherwise. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply. [ 1913 Webster ]

You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Say, v. t.; cf. Saw a saying. ] A speech; something said; an expression of opinion; a current story; a maxim or proverb. [ Archaic or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning snap. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

That strange palmer's boding say,
That fell so ominous and drear
Full on the object of his fear. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who says; an utterer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mr. Curran was something much better than a sayer of smart sayings. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. Cf. Say a kind of serge. ] A mixed stuff, called also sagathy. See Sagathy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which is said; a declaration; a statement, especially a proverbial one; an aphorism; a proverb. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many are the sayings of the wise,
In ancient and in modern books enrolled. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Declaration; speech; adage; maxim; aphorism; apothegm; saw; proverb; byword. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Say sample + man. ] One who assays. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A master of assay; one who tries or proves. [ Obs. ] “Great saymaster of state.” B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. p. p. of Senge, to singe. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Sooth + say; properly to say truth, tell the truth. ] To foretell; to predict. “You can not soothsay.” Shak. “Old soothsaying Glaucus' spell.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A true saying; a proverb; a prophecy. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Omen; portent. Having [ 1913 Webster ]

God turn the same to good soothsay. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who foretells events by the art of soothsaying; a prognosticator. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A mantis. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A true saying; truth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of one who soothsays; the foretelling of events; the art or practice of making predictions. [ 1913 Webster ]

A damsel, possessed with a spirit of divination . . . which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. Acts xvi. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A prediction; a prophecy; a prognostication. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divinations and soothsayings and dreams are vain. Eclus. xxxiv. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. See Soothsay. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Soothsayer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. trisaïeul, from L. tris, tres, three + F. aïeul grandfather. Cf. Besaiel, and see Ayle. ] A grandfather's grandfather. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Writ of tresayle (O. Eng. Law), a writ which lay for a man claiming as heir to his grandfather's grandfather, to recover lands of which he had been deprived by an abatement happening on the ancestor's death. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To say by way of derogation or contradiction. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]