ASHEN — ASSECURANCE

ASHEN — ASSECURANCE NWAD ASHEN.1

ASHEN, a. [See Ash.] Pertaining to ash; made of ash. NWAD ASHEN.1

ASHES, n. plu. Without the singular number. NWAD ASHES.1

1. The earthy particles of combustible substances remaining after combustion; as of wood or coal. NWAD ASHES.2

2. The remains of the human body when burnt. Hence figuratively, a dead body or corpse. NWAD ASHES.3

3. In scripture, ashes is used to denote vileness, meanness, frailty, or humiliation. NWAD ASHES.4

I who am but dust and ashes. Genesis 18:27. NWAD ASHES.5

I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:6. NWAD ASHES.6

ASH-FIRE, n. A low fire used in chimical operations. NWAD ASH-FIRE.1

ASH-HOLE, n. A repository for ashes; the lower part of a furnace. NWAD ASH-HOLE.1

ASH-LAR, n. Common or free stones, as they come from the quarry, of different lengths, breadths and thicknesses. NWAD ASH-LAR.1

ASHLERING, n. Quartering for lathing to, in garrets, two or three feet high, perpendicular to the floor, and reaching to the under side of the rafters. NWAD ASHLERING.1

ASHORE, adv. [a, at or on, and shore. See Shore.] NWAD ASHORE.1

1. On shore; on the land adjacent to water; to the shore; as, bring the goods ashore. NWAD ASHORE.2

2. On land, opposed to aboard; as, the captain of the ship remained ashore. NWAD ASHORE.3

3. On the ground; as, the ship was driven ashore. NWAD ASHORE.4

ASHWEDNESDAY, n. The first day of Lent; supposed to be so called from a custom in the Romish Church of sprinkling ashes, that day, on the heads of penitents, then admitted to penance. NWAD ASHWEDNESDAY.1

ASH-WEED, n. A plant, the small wild angelica, gout-wort, goats-foot, or herb-gerard. NWAD ASH-WEED.1

ASHY, a. Belonging to ashes; ash-colored; pale; inclining to a whitish gray. NWAD ASHY.1

ASHYPALE, a. Pale as ashes. NWAD ASHYPALE.1

ASIAN, a. [from Asia, a name originally given to Asia Minor or some part of it; perhaps from the Asses, Ases or Osses, about Mount Taurus.] NWAD ASIAN.1

Pertaining to Asia. NWAD ASIAN.2

ASIARCH, n. [Asia and chief.] NWAD ASIARCH.1

A chief or pontiff of Asia; one who had the superintendence of the public games. Acts 19:31. NWAD ASIARCH.2

ASIATIC, a. Belonging to Asia, a quarter of the globe which extends from the strait of Constantinople and Arabian gulf, to the Pacific ocean on the east. It is probable, the name was originally appropriated to what is now Asia Minor or rather a part of it. NWAD ASIATIC.1

ASIATIC, n. A native of Asia. NWAD ASIATIC.2

ASIATICISM, n. Imitation of the Asiatic manner. NWAD ASIATICISM.1

ASIDE, ad. [a and side. See Side.] NWAD ASIDE.1

1. On or to one side; out of a perpendicular or straight direction. NWAD ASIDE.2

2. At a little distance from the main part or body. NWAD ASIDE.3

Thou shalt set aside that which is full. 2 Kings 4:4. NWAD ASIDE.4

3. From the body; as, to put or lay aside a garment. John 13:4. NWAD ASIDE.5

4. From the company; at a small distance or in private; as when speakers utter something by themselves, upon the stage. NWAD ASIDE.6

5. Separate from the person, mind or attention; in a state of abandonment. NWAD ASIDE.7

Let us lay aside every weight. Hebrews 12:1. NWAD ASIDE.8

6. Out of the line of rectitude or propriety, in a moral view. NWAD ASIDE.9

They are all gone aside. Psalm 14:3. NWAD ASIDE.10

7. In a state of separation to a particular use; as, to set aside a thing for a future day. NWAD ASIDE.11

To set aside, in judicial proceedings, is to defeat the effect or operation of, by a subsequent decision of a superior tribunal; as, to set aside a verdict or a judgment. NWAD ASIDE.12

ASINEGO, n. A foolish fellow. NWAD ASINEGO.1

ASININE, rarely. ASINARY, a. [L. asinus.] NWAD ASININE.1

Belonging to the ass; having the qualities of the ass. NWAD ASININE.2

ASK, v.t. [Gr. In former times, the English word was pronounced ax, as in the royal style of assenting to bills in Parliament. “Be it as it is axed.”] NWAD ASK.1

1. To request; to seek to obtain by words; to petition; with of before the person to whom the request is made. NWAD ASK.2

Ask counsel of God. Judges 18:5. NWAD ASK.3

2. To require, expect or claim. NWAD ASK.4

To whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:48. NWAD ASK.5

3. To interrogate, or inquire; to put a question, with a view to an answer. NWAD ASK.6

He is of age, ask him. John 9:21, 23. NWAD ASK.7

4. To require, or make claim. NWAD ASK.8

Ask me never so much dowry. Genesis 34:12; Daniel 2:10. NWAD ASK.9

5. To claim, require or demand, as the price or value of a commodity; to set a price; as, what price do you ask? NWAD ASK.10

6. To require, as physically necessary. NWAD ASK.11

The exigence of a state asks a much longer time to conduct the design to maturity. NWAD ASK.12

This sense is nearly or entirely obsolete; ask being superseded by require and demand. NWAD ASK.13

7. To invite; as, to ask guests to a wedding or entertainment; ask my friend to step into the house. NWAD ASK.14

ASK, v.i. NWAD ASK.15

1. To request or petition, followed by for; as, ask for bread; or without for. NWAD ASK.16

Ask and it shall be given you. Matthew 7:7. NWAD ASK.17

2. to inquire, or seek by request; sometimes followed by after. NWAD ASK.18

Wherefore dost thou ask after my name? Genesis 32:29. NWAD ASK.19

This verb can hardly be considered as strictly intransitive, for some person or object is always understood. NWAD ASK.20

Ask is not equivalent to demand, claim, and require, at least, in modern usage; much less, is it equivalent to beg and beseech. The first three words, demand, claim, require, imply a right or supposed right in the person asking, to the thing requested; and beseech implies more urgency, than ask. Ask and request imply no right, but suppose the thing desired to be a favor. The French demander is correctly rendered by ask, rather than by deman. NWAD ASK.21

ASKANCE, ASKANT, adv. sideways; obliquely; towards one corner of the eye. NWAD ASKANCE.1

ASKED, pp. Requested; petitioned; questioned; interrogated. NWAD ASKED.1

ADKER, n. NWAD ADKER.1

1. One who asks; a petitioner; an inquirer. NWAD ADKER.2

2. A water newt. NWAD ADKER.3

ASKEW, adv. NWAD ASKEW.1

With a wry look; aside; askant; sometimes indicating scorn, or contempt, or envy. NWAD ASKEW.2

ASKING, ppr. NWAD ASKING.1

1. Requesting; petitioning; interrogating; inquiring. NWAD ASKING.2

2. Silently expressing request or desire. NWAD ASKING.3

Explain the asking eye. NWAD ASKING.4

ASLAKE, v.t. [See Slack.] NWAD ASLAKE.1

To remit; to slacken. [Not in use.] NWAD ASLAKE.2

ASLANI, n. A silver coin worth from 115 to 120 aspers. NWAD ASLANI.1

ASLANT, a. or adv. [a and slant. See Slant.] NWAD ASLANT.1

On one side; obliquely; not perpendicularly or with a right angle. NWAD ASLANT.2

The shaft drove through his neck aslant. NWAD ASLANT.3

ASLEEP, a. or adv. [a and sleep.] NWAD ASLEEP.1

1. sleeping; in a state of sleep; at rest. NWAD ASLEEP.2

Sisera was fast asleep. Judges 4:21. NWAD ASLEEP.3

2. To a state of sleep; as to fall asleep. NWAD ASLEEP.4

3. Dead; in a state of death. NWAD ASLEEP.5

Concerning them who are asleep, sorrow not. 1 Thessalonians 4:13. NWAD ASLEEP.6

4. To death. NWAD ASLEEP.7

For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue. 2 Peter 3:4. NWAD ASLEEP.8

ASLOPE, a. or adv. [a and slope. See Slope.] NWAD ASLOPE.1

With leaning or inclination; obliquely; with declivity or descent, as a hill; declining from an upright direction. NWAD ASLOPE.2

Set them not upright, but aslope. NWAD ASLOPE.3

ASLUG, ad. In a sluggish manner. [Not used.] NWAD ASLUG.1

ASMONEAN, a. Pertaining to Asmoneus, the father of Simon, and chief of the Asmoneans, a family that reigned over the Jews 126 years. NWAD ASMONEAN.1

ASMONEAN, n. One of the family of Asmoneus. NWAD ASMONEAN.2

ASOMATOUS, a. [Gr. priv and body.] NWAD ASOMATOUS.1

Without a material body; incorporeal. [Not used.] NWAD ASOMATOUS.2

ASP, ASPIC, n. [L. aspis; Gr. a round shield and an asp; supposed to be from Heb. to gather in, or collect; from the coil of this serpent, with his head elevated in the center, like the boss of a buckler. See also Aspen.] NWAD ASP.1

A small poisonous serpent of Egypt and Libya, whose bite occasions inevitable death, but without pain. It is said that the celebrated Cleopatra, rather than be carried a captive to Rome by Augustus, suffered death by the bite of the asp; but the fact has been questioned. Authors are not agreed, as to what species the asp of the ancients should be referred. Bruce thinks it the coluber cerastes. Linne. NWAD ASP.2

ASPALATHUS, n. A plant. NWAD ASPALATHUS.1

ASPARAGIN, n. White transparent crystals of a peculiar vegetable principle, which spontaneously form in asparagus juice evaporated to the consistence of syrup. They are in the form of rhomboidal prisms. NWAD ASPARAGIN.1

ASPARAGUS, n. [L. and Gr. probably from to tear, from its lacerated appearance, or from the root of a spire, from its stem.] NWAD ASPARAGUS.1

Asparagus, sperage, vulgarly, sparrow-grass; a genus of plants. That which is cultivated in gardens, has an upright herbaceous stalk, bristly leaves, and equal stipulas. The roots have a bitterish mucilaginous taste; and the stalk is, in some degree, aperient and deobstruent, but not very efficacious. NWAD ASPARAGUS.2

ASPECT, n. [L. aspectus, from aspicio, to look on, of ad and specio, to see or look.] NWAD ASPECT.1

1. Look; view; appearance to the eye or the mind; as, to present an object or a subject in its true aspect, or under a double aspect. So we say, public affairs have a favorable aspect. NWAD ASPECT.2

2. Countenance; look, or particular appearance of the face; as a mild or severe aspect. NWAD ASPECT.3

3. View; sight; act of seeing. [This sense is now unusual.] NWAD ASPECT.4

4. Position or situation with regard to seeing, or that position which enables one to look in a particular direction; as, a house has a southern aspect, that is, a position which faces or looks to the south. NWAD ASPECT.5

5. In astronomy, the situation of one planet with respect to another. The aspects are five sextile, when the planets are 60 degrees distant; quartile or quadrate, when their distance is 90 degrees, or the quarter of a circle; trine, when the distance is 120 degrees; opposition, when the distance is 180 degrees, or half a circle; and conjunction, when they are in the same degree. NWAD ASPECT.6

ASPECT, v.t. To behold. [Not used.] NWAD ASPECT.7

ASPECTABLE, a. That may be seen. [Not used.] NWAD ASPECTABLE.1

ASPECTED, a. Having an aspect. [Not used.] NWAD ASPECTED.1

ASPECTION, n. The act of viewing. [Not used.] NWAD ASPECTION.1

ASPEN, ASP, n. NWAD ASPEN.1

A species of the poplar, so called from the trembling of its leaves, which move with the slightest impulse of the air. Its leaves are roundish, smooth, and stand on long slender foot-stalks. NWAD ASPEN.2

ASPEN, a. Pertaining to the aspen, or resembling it; made of aspen wood. NWAD ASPEN.3

Nor aspen leaves confess the gentlest breeze. NWAD ASPEN.4

ASPER, a. [L. See Asperate.] Rough; rugged. [Little used.] NWAD ASPER.1

ASPER, n. [L. aspiro, to breathe.] NWAD ASPER.2

In grammar, the Greek accent, importing that the letter over which it is placed ought to be aspirated, or pronounced as if the letter h preceded it. NWAD ASPER.3

ASPER, n. A Turkish coin, of which three make a medine. Its value is about a cent and 12 decimals. NWAD ASPER.4

ASPERATE, v.t. [L. aspero, from asper, rough.] NWAD ASPERATE.1

To make rough or uneven. NWAD ASPERATE.2

ASPERATION, n. A making rough. NWAD ASPERATION.1

ASPERIFOLIATE, a. [L. asper, rough, and folium, a leaf.] NWAD ASPERIFOLIATE.1

Having rough leaves. Plants of this kind are, by some authors, classified according to this character. They constitute the forty-first order of Linne’s fragments of a natural method. In the methods of Herman, Boerhave, and Ray, this class consists of plants which have four naked seeds. Their leaves stand alternately on the stalks, and the flower is monopetalous in five divisions. NWAD ASPERIFOLIATE.2

ASPERIFOLIOUS, a. Having leaves rough to the touch. [See the preceding word.] NWAD ASPERIFOLIOUS.1

ASPERITY, n. [L. asperitas, from asper, rough.] NWAD ASPERITY.1

1. Roughness of surface; unevenness; opposed to smoothness. NWAD ASPERITY.2

2. Roughness of sound; that quality which grates the ear; harshness of pronunciation. NWAD ASPERITY.3

3. Roughness to the taste; sourness. NWAD ASPERITY.4

4. Roughness or ruggedness of temper; moroseness; sourness; crabbedness. NWAD ASPERITY.5

5. Sharpness. NWAD ASPERITY.6

ASPEROUS, a. [L. asper, rough.] Rough; uneven. NWAD ASPEROUS.1

ASPERSE, v.t. aspers’. [L. aspergo, aspersus, of ad and spargo, to scatter.] NWAD ASPERSE.1

1. To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; to tarnish in point of reputation, or good name; to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet of his writings; to asperse a character. NWAD ASPERSE.2

2. To cast upon. NWAD ASPERSE.3

ASPERSER, n. One that asperses, or villifies another. NWAD ASPERSER.1

ASPERSION, n. NWAD ASPERSION.1

1. A sprinkling, as of water or dust, in a literal sense. NWAD ASPERSION.2

2. The spreading of calumnious reports or charges, which tarnish reputation, like the bespattering of a body with foul water. NWAD ASPERSION.3

ASPHALT, ASPHALTUM, n. [Gr.] Bitumen Judaicum, Jew’s pitch; a smooth, hard, brittle, black or brown substance, which breaks with a polish, melts easily when heated, and when pure, burns without leaving any ashes. It has little taste, and scarcely any smell, unless heated, when it emits a strong smell of pitch. it is found in a soft or liquid state on the surface of the Dead Sea, which, from this substance, is called Asphaltite, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in the earth, in many parts of Asia, Europe and America. Formerly, it was used for embalming dead bodies; the solid asphalt is still employed in Arabia, Egypt, and Persia, instead of pitch for ships; and the fluid asphalt is used for varnishing, and for burning in lamps. A species found in Neufchatel is found excellent as a cement for walls and pavements; very durable in air, and not penetrable by water. A composition of asphalt, lamp black and oil is used for drawing black figures on dialplates. NWAD ASPHALT.1

ASPHALTIC, a. Pertaining to asphalt, or containing it; bituminous. NWAD ASPHALTIC.1

ASPHALTITE, a. Pertaining to or containing asphalt. NWAD ASPHALTITE.1

ASPHODEL, n. [L. and Gr. See Theoph.] NWAD ASPHODEL.1

King’s-spear; a genus of lilaceous plants, cultivated for the beauty of their flowers. The ancients planted asphodels near graves, to supply the names of the dead with nourishment. NWAD ASPHODEL.2

ASPHURELATES, n. [Gr. priv. and a hammer; not malleable.] NWAD ASPHURELATES.1

A series of semimetallic fossils, fusible by fire, and in their purest state not malleable. In their native state, they are mixed with sulphur and other adventitious matter, in the form of ore. Under this denomination are classed bismuth, antimony, cobalt, zink and quicksilver. NWAD ASPHURELATES.2

ASPHYXY, n. [Gr. of a priv. and pulse.] NWAD ASPHYXY.1

A temporary suspension of the motion of the heart and arteries; swooning; fainting. NWAD ASPHYXY.2

ASPIC, n. NWAD ASPIC.1

1. The asp, which see. NWAD ASPIC.2

2. A piece of ordnance carrying a twelve pound shot. NWAD ASPIC.3

ASPIC, n. A plant growing in France, a species of lavender, which it resembles in the blue color of its flowers, and in the figure and green color of its leaves. It is called male-lavender, spica nardi, and Pseudo-nardus. The oil of this plant is used by painters, farriers and other artificers. It is very inflammable, of a white color and aromatic; and it is almost the only dissolvent of sandarac. NWAD ASPIC.4

ASPIRANT, n. [See Aspire.] One who aspires, breathes after, or seeks with eagerness. NWAD ASPIRANT.1

ASPIRATE, v.t. [L. aspiro, to breathe or blow; Gr. to palpitate, from spiro. See Spire, Spirit.] NWAD ASPIRATE.1

To pronounce with a breathing or full emission of breath. We aspirate the words horse and house. NWAD ASPIRATE.2

ASPIRATE, v.i. To be uttered with a strong breathing; as, the letter h aspirates. NWAD ASPIRATE.3

ASPIRATE, n. A letter marked with an asper, or note of breathing; a mark of aspiration, as the Greek accent. NWAD ASPIRATE.4

ASPIRATE, a. Pronounced with a full breath. NWAD ASPIRATE.5

ASPIRATED, pp. Uttered with a strong emission of breath. NWAD ASPIRATED.1

ASPIRATING, ppr. Pronouncing with a full breath. NWAD ASPIRATING.1

ASPIRATION, n. NWAD ASPIRATION.1

1. The pronunciation of a letter with a full emission of breath. NWAD ASPIRATION.2

2. A breathing after; an ardent wish or desire, chiefly of spiritual blessings. NWAD ASPIRATION.3

3. The act of aspiring or of ardently desiring what is noble or spiritual. NWAD ASPIRATION.4

ASPIRE, v.i. [L. aspiro, to breathe. See Aspirate.] NWAD ASPIRE.1

1. To desire with eagerness; to pant after an object, great, noble or spiritual; followed by to or after; as to aspire to a crown or after immortality. NWAD ASPIRE.2

2. To aim at something elevated; to rise or tower with desire. NWAD ASPIRE.3

Aspiring to be Gods, if angels fell; NWAD ASPIRE.4

Aspiring to be angels, men rebel. NWAD ASPIRE.5

ASPIRER, n. One who aspires; one who aims to rise in power or consequence, or to accomplish some important object. NWAD ASPIRER.1

ASPIRING, ppr. Desiring eagerly; aiming at something noble, great, or spiritual. NWAD ASPIRING.1

ASPIRING, a. Ambitious; animated with an ardent desire of power, importance, or excellence. NWAD ASPIRING.2

ASPIRING, n. NWAD ASPIRING.3

1. Ambition; eager desire of something great. NWAD ASPIRING.4

2. Points; stops. [Not used.] NWAD ASPIRING.5

ASPORTATION, n. [L. asportatio, of abs and porto, to carry. See Bear.] NWAD ASPORTATION.1

A carrying away. In law, the felonious removal of goods from the place where they were deposited, is an asportation, and adjudged to be theft, though the goods are not carried from the house or apartment. NWAD ASPORTATION.2

ASQUINT, adv. [See Askance and Squint.] NWAD ASQUINT.1

1. To the corner or angle of the eye; obliquely; towards one side; not in the straight line of vision; as, to look asquint. NWAD ASQUINT.2

2. Not with regard or due notice. NWAD ASQUINT.3

ASS, n. [L. asinus; Gr. an ear.] NWAD ASS.1

1. A quadruped of the equine genus. This animal has long slouching ears, a short mane, and a tail covered with long hairs at the end. He is usually of an ash color, with a black bar across the shoulders. The tame or domestic ass is patient to stupidity, and carries a heavy burden. He is slow, but very sure footed, and for this reason very useful on rough steep hills. NWAD ASS.2

2. A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt. NWAD ASS.3

ASSAI, A term in music; added to a word signifying slow, it denotes a little quicker; and to a word signifying quick, it denotes a little slower. NWAD ASSAI.1

ASSAIL, v.t. [L. assilio, to leap or rush upon, of ad and salio, to leap, to rise.] NWAD ASSAIL.1

1. To leap or fall upon by violence; to assault; to attack suddenly, as when one person falls upon another to beat him. NWAD ASSAIL.2

2. To invade or attack, in a hostile manner, as an army, or nation. NWAD ASSAIL.3

3. To attack with arguments, censure, abuse, or criticism, with a view to injure, bring into disrepute, or overthrow. NWAD ASSAIL.4

4. To attack, with a view to overcome, by motives applied to the passions. NWAD ASSAIL.5

Nor hide the encounter of assailing eyes. NWAD ASSAIL.6

ASSAILABLE, a. That may be assailed, attacked or invaded. NWAD ASSAILABLE.1

ASSAILANT, n. One who assails, attacks or assaults. NWAD ASSAILANT.1

ASSAILANT, a. Assaulting; attacking; invading with violence. NWAD ASSAILANT.2

ASSAILED, pp. Assaulted; invaded; attacked with violence. NWAD ASSAILED.1

ASSAILER, n. One who assails. NWAD ASSAILER.1

ASSAILING, ppr. assaulting; invading by force; attacking with violence. NWAD ASSAILING.1

ASSAILMENT, n. Attack. [Little used.] NWAD ASSAILMENT.1

ASSAPANIC, n. The flying squirrel; an animal which flies a little distance by extending the skin between the fore and hind legs. [See Squirrel.] NWAD ASSAPANIC.1

ASSARON, n. The omer or homer, a Hebrew measure of five pints. NWAD ASSARON.1

ASSART, n. NWAD ASSART.1

1. In ancient laws, the offense of grubbing up trees, and thus destroying thickets or coverts of a forest. NWAD ASSART.2

2. a tree plucked up by the roots, also a piece of land cleared. NWAD ASSART.3

ASSART, v.t. To grub up trees; to commit an assart. NWAD ASSART.4

ASSASSIN, n. NWAD ASSASSIN.1

One who kills or attempts to kill, by surprise or secret assault. The circumstance of surprise or secresy seems essential to the signification of this word; though it is sometimes used to denote one who takes any advantage, in killing or attempting to murder; as by attacking one when unarmed. NWAD ASSASSIN.2

ASSASSINATE, v.t. NWAD ASSASSINATE.1

1. To kill or attempt to kill, by surprise or secret assault; to murder by sudden violence. Assassin as a verb is not now used. NWAD ASSASSINATE.2

2. To way lay; to take by treachery. NWAD ASSASSINATE.3

ASSASSINATE, n. A murder or murderer. [not used.] NWAD ASSASSINATE.4

ASSASSINATED, pp. Murdered by surprise or secret assault. NWAD ASSASSINATED.1

ASSASSINATING, ppr. Murdering by surprise or secret assault. NWAD ASSASSINATING.1

ASSASSINATION, n. The act of killing or murdering, by surprise or secret assault; murder by violence. NWAD ASSASSINATION.1

ASSASSINATOR, n. An assassin, which see. NWAD ASSASSINATOR.1

ASSASSINOUS, a. Murderous. [Not used.] NWAD ASSASSINOUS.1

ASSASSINS, n. In Syria, a tribe or clan called Ismaelians, Batanists or Batenians. They originated in Persia about the year 1090; whence a colony migrated and settled on the mountains of Lebanon, and were remarkable for their assassinations. Their religion was a compound of magianism, judaism, and christianity. One article of their creed was, that the Holy Spirit resided in their Chief, and that his orders proceeded from God himself. He was called Scheik, and is better known by the denomination of Old man of the mountain. This barbarous chieftain and his followers spread terror among nations far and near, for almost two centuries, when the tribe was subdued by Sultan Bibaris. NWAD ASSASSINS.1

ASSATION, n. [L. assatus.] A roasting. [Not used.] NWAD ASSATION.1

ASSAULT, n. [L. assulto, of ad and salto, to leap, formed on salio, or its root. See Assail. We have the same root in insult and result.] NWAD ASSAULT.1

1. An attack or violent onset, whether by an individual, a company, or an army. An assault by private persons may be made with or without weapons. As assault by an army is a violent hostile attack; and when made upon a fort or fortified place is called a storm, as opposed to sap or siege. NWAD ASSAULT.2

2. An attack by hostile words or measures; as, an assault upon the prerogatives of a prince, or upon a constitution of government. NWAD ASSAULT.3

3. In Law, an unlawful setting upon one’s person; an attempt or offer to beat another, without touching his person; as by lifting the fist or a cane, in a threatening manner. If the blow aimed takes effect, it is a battery. NWAD ASSAULT.4

ASSAULT, v.t. NWAD ASSAULT.5

1. To attack or fall upon by violence, or with a hostile intention; as, to assault a man, a house or town. NWAD ASSAULT.6

2. To invade or fall on with force; as, the cry of war assaults our ears. NWAD ASSAULT.7

3. To attack by words, arguments or unfriendly measures, with a view to shake, impair or overthrow; as, to assault a character, the laws or the administration. NWAD ASSAULT.8

ASSAULTABLE, a. That may be assaulted. NWAD ASSAULTABLE.1

ASSAULTED, pp. Attacked with force, arms, violence, or hostile views. NWAD ASSAULTED.1

ASSAULTER, n. One who assaults, or violently attacks. NWAD ASSAULTER.1

ASSAULTING, ppr. Attacking with force, or with hostile measures. NWAD ASSAULTING.1

ASSAY, n. [L. sequor; assequor, to follow, to examine. See Essay.] NWAD ASSAY.1

1. The trial of the goodness, purity, weight, value, etc. of metals or metallic substances. Any operation or experiement for ascertaining the quantity of a precious metal in an ore or mineral. Analysis is a term of more comprehensive import, extending to an examination of the nature and quantities of all parts of the compound. NWAD ASSAY.2

2. In law, an examination of weights and measures by the standard. NWAD ASSAY.3

3. Examination; trial; effort; first entrance upon any business; attempt. In these senses, which are found in old authors, now rarely used. [See Essay.] NWAD ASSAY.4

4. Value; great purity. Obs. NWAD ASSAY.5

ASSAY, v.t. NWAD ASSAY.6

1. To try or prove, by examination or experiment, the quantity and purity of metallic substances. NWAD ASSAY.7

2. To apply to the touchstone. NWAD ASSAY.8

ASSAY, v.i. To attempt, try or endeavor. NWAD ASSAY.9

He assayed to go. 1 Samuel 17:39. NWAD ASSAY.10

[In this sense essay is now used.] NWAD ASSAY.11

ASSAY-BALANCE, n. A balance for the trial of the weight and purity of metals. NWAD ASSAY-BALANCE.1

ASSAYED, pp. Examined; tested; proved by experiment. NWAD ASSAYED.1

ASSAYER, n. One who examines metals to find their quantity and purity. An officer of the mint, whose business is to try the weight and purity of metals. NWAD ASSAYER.1