Assay
Defined in 7 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Black's (1910), Kinney (1893), Black's (1891), Burrill (1850), Bouvier (1839)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
The proof or trial of the purity or fineness of metals, particularly the precious metals, gold and silver,
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
The proof or trial, by chemical experiments, of the purity or fineness of metals,—particularly of the precious metals, gold and silver. A trial of weights and measures by a standard; as by the constituted authorities, clerks of markets, etc. Reg. Orig. 280. A trial or/examination of certain commodities, as bread, cloths, etc. Cowell; Blount.
— Assay office. The staff of persons by whom (or the building in which) the process of assaying gold and silver, required by government, incidental to maintaining the coinage, is conducted.
A Law Dictionary and Glossary
George C. Kinney · 1893
In old English law. An examination, proof or trial: as, of weight and measures; of certain commodities, as bread, cloths, etc.; of the purity of metals and of coined money. This last is the sense in which the word is now exclusively used. v. Assaia.
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
The proof or trial, by chemical experiments, of the purity or fineness of metils,—particularly of the precious metals, gold and gilver, A trialof weights and measures by a standard; as by the constituted authorities, clerks of markets, etc. Reg. Orig. 280. A trial or examination of certain commodities, as bread, cloths, etc. Cowell; Blount.
A New Law Dictionary and Glossary
Alexander M. Burrill · 1850
[L. Lat. assaia, assaya; from Fr. assays, assaie, essay, a proof or trial.] In old English law. An examination, proof or trial. A tiial of weights and measures by a standard; as by the constituted authorities, clerks of marlsts, <fec. Iteff, Griff. 280. See Assaia. A trial or examination of certain commodities, as bread, cloths, <bc. Cowell. Blount. See Assaia. A trial or test of the purity of metals and of coined money. This is the only sense in which the word is now used.
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
John Bouvier · 1839
<A chemical examination of metals by which the quantity of valuable or precious metal contained in any mineral or metallic mixture is ascertained. By the acts of congress of March 3, 1823, 3 Story’s L. U. S. 1924; of June 25, 1834, 4 Sharsw. cont. of Story’s L. U. 8. 2373; and of June 28, 1834, Ibid. 2377, it is made the duty of the secretary of the treasury to cause assays to be made at the mint of the United States, of certain coins made current by the said acts, and to make report of the result thereof to congress.