Chapter 102

Bribes may be assembled to pitch. Latimer.

Assembler <Xpage=90>

As*sem"bler (#) , n. One who assembles a number of individuals; also, one of a number assembled.

Assembly <Xpage=90>

As*sem"bly (#) , n. ; pl. Assemblies (#) . [F. assembl\'82e , fr. assembler . See Assemble .] 1. A company of persons collected together in one place, and usually for some common purpose, esp. for deliberation and legislation, for worship, or for social entertainment.

2. A collection of inanimate objects. [Obs.]

Howell.

3. (Mil.) A beat of the drum or sound of the bugle as a signal to troops to assemble.

&hand; In some of the United States, the legislature, or the popular branch of it, is called the Assembly , or the General Assembly . In the Presbyterian Church, the General Assembly is the highest ecclesiastical tribunal, composed of ministers and ruling elders delegated from each presbytery; as, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, or of Scotland.

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Assembly room , a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing. -- Unlawful assembly (Law) , a meeting of three or more persons on a common plan, in such a way as to cause a reasonable apprehension that they will disturb the peace tumultuously. -- Westminster Assembly , a convocation, consisting chiefly of divines, which, by act of Parliament, assembled July 1, 1643, and remained in session some years. It framed the "Confession of Faith," the "Larger Catechism," and the "Shorter Catechism," which are still received as authority by Presbyterians, and are substantially accepted by Congregationalists.

Syn. -- See Assemblage .

Assemblyman <Xpage=91>

As*sem"bly*man (#) , n. ; pl. Assemblymen (#) . A member of an assembly, especially of the lower branch of a state legislature.

Assent <Xpage=91>

As*sent" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assented ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assenting .] [F. assentir , L. assentire , assentiri ; ad + sentire to feel, think. See Sense .] To admit a thing as true; to express one's agreement, acquiescence, concurrence, or concession.

Who informed the governor . . . And the Jews also assented , saying that these things were so. Acts xxiv. 9.

The princess assented to all that was suggested. Macaulay.

Syn. -- To yield; agree; acquiesce; concede; concur.

Assent <Xpage=91>

As*sent" (#) , n. [OE. assent , fr. assentir . See Assent , v .] The act of assenting; the act of the mind in admitting or agreeing to anything; concurrence with approval; consent; agreement; acquiescence.

Faith is the assent to any proposition, on the credit of the proposer. Locke.

The assent , if not the approbation, of the prince. Prescott.

Too many people read this ribaldry with assent and admiration. Macaulay.

Royal assent , in England, the assent of the sovereign to a bill which has passed both houses of Parliament, after which it becomes law.

Syn. -- Concurrence; acquiescence; approval; accord. -- Assent , Consent . Assent is an act of the understanding, consent of the will or feelings. We assent to the views of others when our minds come to the same conclusion with theirs as to what is true, right, or admissible. We consent when there is such a concurrence of our will with their desires and wishes that we decide to comply with their requests. The king of England gives his assent , not his consent , to acts of Parliament, because, in theory at least, he is not governed by personal feelings or choice, but by a deliberate, judgment as to the common good. We also use assent in cases where a proposal is made which involves but little interest or feeling. A lady may assent to a gentleman's opening the window; but if he offers himself in marriage, he must wait for her consent .

Assentation <Xpage=91>

As`sen*ta"tion (#) , n. [L. assentatio . See Assent , v.] Insincere, flattering, or obsequious assent; hypocritical or pretended concurrence.

Abject flattery and indiscriminate assentation degrade as much as indiscriminate contradiction and noisy debate disgust. Ld. Chesterfield.

Assentator <Xpage=91>

As`sen*ta"tor , n. [L., fr. assentari to assent constantly.] An obsequious; a flatterer. [R.]

Assentatory <Xpage=91>

As*sent"a*to*ry (#) , a. Flattering; obsequious. [Obs.] -- As*sent"a*to*ri*ly , adv. [Obs.]

Assenter <Xpage=91>

As*sent"er (#) , n. One who assents.

Assentient <Xpage=91>

As*sen"tient , a. Assenting.

Assenting <Xpage=91>

As*sent"ing (#) , a. Giving or implying assent. -- As*sent"ing*ly , adv.

Assentive <Xpage=91>

As*sent"ive (#) , a. Giving assent; of the nature of assent; complying. -- As*sent"ive*ness , n.

Assentment <Xpage=91>

As*sent"ment , n. Assent; agreement. [Obs.]

Assert <Xpage=91>

As*sert" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Asserted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Asserting .] [L. assertus , p. p. of asserere to join or fasten to one's self, claim, maintain; ad + serere to join or bind together. See Series .] 1. To affirm; to declare with assurance, or plainly and strongly; to state positively; to aver; to asseverate.

Nothing is more shameful . . . than to assert anything to be done without a cause. Ray.

2. To maintain; to defend. [Obs. or Archaic]

That . . . I may assert Eternal Providence,

And justify the ways of God to men. Milton.

I will assert it from the scandal. Jer. Taylor.

3. To maintain or defend, as a cause or a claim, by words or measures; to vindicate a claim or title to; as, to assert our rights and liberties .

To assert one's self , to claim or vindicate one's rights or position; to demand recognition.

Syn. -- To affirm; aver; asseverate; maintain; protest; pronounce; declare; vindicate. -- To Assert , Affirm , Maintain , Vindicate . To assert is to fasten to one's self, and hence to claim . It is, therefore, adversative in its nature. We assert our rights and privileges, or the cause of tree institutions, as against opposition or denial. To affirm is to declare as true. We assert boldly; we affirm positively. To maintain is to uphold, and insist upon with earnestness, whatever we have once asserted; as, to maintain one's cause, to maintain an argument, to maintain the ground we have taken . To vindicate is to use language and measures of the strongest kind, in defense of ourselves and those for whom we act. We maintain our assertions by adducing proofs, facts, or arguments; we are ready to vindicate our rights or interests by the utmost exertion of our powers.

Asserter <Xpage=91>

As*sert"er (#) , n. One who asserts; one who avers pr maintains; an assertor.

The inflexible asserter of the rights of the church. Milman.

Assertion <Xpage=91>

As*ser"tion (#) , n. [L. assertio , fr. asserere .] 1. The act of asserting, or that which is asserted; positive declaration or averment; affirmation; statement asserted; position advanced.

There is a difference between assertion and demonstration. Macaulay.

2. Maintenance; vindication; as, the assertion of one's rights or prerogatives .

Assertive <Xpage=91>

As*sert"ive (#) , a. Positive; affirming confidently; affirmative; peremptory.

In a confident and assertive form. Glanvill.

As*sert"ive*ly , adv. -- As*sert"ive*ness , n.

Assertor <Xpage=91>

As*sert"or (#) , n. [L., fr. asserere .] One who asserts or avers; one who maintains or vindicates a claim or a right; an affirmer, supporter, or vindicator; a defender; an asserter.

The assertors of liberty said not a word. Macaulay.

Faithful assertor of thy country's cause. Prior.

Assertorial <Xpage=91>

As`ser*to"ri*al (#) , a. Asserting that a thing is ; -- opposed to problematical and apodeictical .

Assertory <Xpage=91>

As*sert"o*ry (#) , a. [L. assertorius , fr. asserere .] Affirming; maintaining.

Arguments . . . assertory , not probatory. Jer. Taylor.

An assertory , not a promissory, declaration. Bentham.

A proposition is assertory , when it enounces what is known as actual. Sir W. Hamilton.

Assess <Xpage=91>

As*sess" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assessed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assessing .] [OF. assesser to regulate, settle, LL. assessare to value for taxation, fr. L. assidere , supine as if assessum , to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, in LL. to assess, tax. Cf. Assize , v ., Cess .] 1. To value; to make a valuation or official estimate of for the purpose of taxation.

2. To apportion a sum to be paid by (a person, a community, or an estate), in the nature of a tax, fine, etc.; to impose a tax upon (a person, an estate, or an income) according to a rate or apportionment.

3. To determine and impose a tax or fine upon (a person, community, estate, or income); to tax; as, the club assessed each member twenty-five cents .

4. To fix or determine the rate or amount of.

This sum is assessed and raised upon individuals by commissioners in the act. Blackstone.

Assessable <Xpage=91>

As*sess"a*ble (#) , a. Liable to be assessed or taxed; as, assessable property .

Assessee <Xpage=91>

As`sess*ee" (#) , n. One who is assessed.

Assession <Xpage=91>

As*ses"sion (#) , n. [L. assessio , fr. assid<?/re to sit by or near; ad + sed<?/re to sit. See Sit .] A sitting beside or near.

Assessment <Xpage=91>

As*sess"ment (#) , n. [LL. assessamentum .] 1. The act of assessing; the act of determining an amount to be paid; as, an assessment of damages, or of taxes; an assessment of the members of a club.

2. A valuation of property or profits of business, for the purpose of taxation; such valuation and an adjudging of the proper sum to be levied on the property; as, an assessment of property or an assessment on property .

&hand; An assessment is a valuation made by authorized persons according to their discretion, as opposed to a sum certain or determined by law. It is a valuation of the property of those who are to pay the tax, for the purpose of fixing the proportion which each man shall pay.

Blackstone. Burrill.

3. The specific sum levied or assessed.

4. An apportionment of a subscription for stock into successive installments; also, one of these installments (in England termed a "call"). [U. S.]

Assessor <Xpage=91>

As*sess"or , n. [L., one who sits beside, the assistant of a judge, fr. assid<?/re . See Assession . LL., one who arranges of determines the taxes, fr. assid<?/re . See Assess , v ., and cf. Cessor .] 1. One appointed or elected to assist a judge or magistrate with his special knowledge of the subject to be decided; as legal assessors , nautical assessors .

Mozley & W.

2. One who sits by another, as next in dignity, or as an assistant and adviser; an associate in office.

Whence to his Son, The assessor of his throne, he thus began. Milton.

With his ignorance, his inclinations, and his fancy, as his assessors in judgment. I. Taylor.

3. One appointed to assess persons or property for the purpose of taxation.

Bouvier.

Assessorial <Xpage=91>

As`ses*so"ri*al (#) , a. [Cf. F. assessorial , fr. L. assessor .] Of or pertaining to an assessor, or to a court of assessors.

Coxe.

Assessorship <Xpage=91>

As*sess"or*ship (#) , n. The office or function of an assessor.

Asset <Xpage=91>

As"set (#) , n. Any article or separable part of one's assets.

Assets <Xpage=91>

As"sets (#) , n. pl. [OF. asez enough, F. assez , fr. L. ad + satis , akin to Gr. <?/ enough, Goth. saps full. Cf. Assai , Satisfy .] 1. (Law) (a) Property of a deceased person, subject by law to the payment of his debts and legacies; -- called assets because sufficient to render the executor or administrator liable to the creditors and legatees, so far as such goods or estate may extend. Story . Blackstone . (b) Effects of an insolvent debtor or bankrupt, applicable to the payment of debts.

2. The entire property of all sorts, belonging to a person, a corporation, or an estate; as, the assets of a merchant or a trading association ; -- opposed to liabilities .

&hand; In balancing accounts the assets are put on the Cr. side and the debts on the Dr. side.

Assever <Xpage=91>

As*sev"er (#) , v. t. [Cf. OF. asseverer , fr. L. asseverare .] See Asseverate . [Archaic]

Asseverate <Xpage=91>

As*sev"er*ate (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Asseverated (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Asseverating (#) .] [L. asseveratus , p. p. of asseverare to assert seriously or earnestly; ad + severus . See Severe .] To affirm or aver positively, or with solemnity.

Syn. -- To affirm; aver; protest; declare. See Affirm .

Asseveration <Xpage=91>

As*sev`er*a"tion (#) , n. [L. asseveratio .] The act of asseverating, or that which is asseverated; positive affirmation or assertion; solemn declaration.

Another abuse of the tongue I might add, -- vehement asseverations upon slight and trivial occasions. Ray.

Asseverative <Xpage=91>

As*sev"er*a*tive , a. Characterized by asseveration; asserting positively.

Asseveratory <Xpage=91>

As*sev"er*a*to*ry , a. Asseverative.

Assibilate <Xpage=91>

As*sib"i*late , v. t. [L. assibilatus , p. p. of assibilare to hiss out; ad + sibilare to hiss.] To make sibilant; to change to a sibilant.

J. Peile.

Assibilation <Xpage=91>

As*sib`i*la"tion , n. Change of a non-sibilant letter to a sibilant, as of - tion to - shun , duke to ditch .

Assidean <Xpage=91>

As`si*de"an , n. [Heb. kh\'besad to be pious.] One of a body of devoted Jews who opposed the Hellenistic Jews, and supported the Asmoneans.

Assident <Xpage=91>

As"si*dent (#) , a. [L. assidens , p. pr. of assid<?/re to sit by: cf. F. assident . See Assession .] (Med.) Usually attending a disease, but not always; as, assident signs, or symptoms .

Assiduate <Xpage=91>

As*sid"u*ate (#) , a. [L. assiduatus , p. p. of assiduare to use assiduously.] Unremitting; assiduous. [Obs.] " Assiduate labor."

Fabyan.

Assiduity <Xpage=91>

As`si*du"i*ty (#) , n. ; pl. Assiduities (#) . [L. assiduitas : cf. F. assiduite . See Assiduous .] 1. Constant or close application or attention, particularly to some business or enterprise; diligence.

I have, with much pains and assiduity , qualified myself for a nomenclator. Addison.

2. Studied and persevering attention to a person; -- usually in the plural.

Assiduous <Xpage=91>

As*sid"u*ous (#) , a. [L. assiduus , fr. assid<?/re to sit near or close; ad + sed<?/re to sit. See Sit .] 1. Constant in application or attention; devoted; attentive; unremitting.

She grows more assiduous in her attendance. Addison.

2. Performed with constant diligence or attention; unremitting; persistent; as, assiduous labor .

To weary him with my assiduous cries. Milton.

Syn. -- Diligent; attentive; sedulous; unwearied; unintermitted; persevering; laborious; indefatigable.

As*sid"u*ous*ly , adv. -- As*sid"u*ous*ness , n.

Assiege <Xpage=91>

As*siege" (#) , v. t. [OE. asegen , OF. asegier , F. assi\'82ger , fr. LL. assediare , assidiare , to besiege. See Siege .] To besiege. [Obs.] " Assieged castles."

Spenser.

Assiege <Xpage=91>

As*siege" , n. A siege. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Assientist <Xpage=91>

As`si*en"tist , n. [Cf. F. assientiste , Sp. asentista .] A shareholder of the Assiento company; one of the parties to the Assiento contract.

Bancroft.

Assiento <Xpage=91>

As`si*en"to (#) , n. [Sp. asiento seat, contract or agreement, fr. asentar to place on a chair, to adjust, to make an agreement; a (L. ad ) + sentar , a participial verb; as if there were a L. sedentare to cause to sit, fr. sedens , sedentis , p. pr. of sed<?/re to sit.] A contract or convention between Spain and other powers for furnishing negro slaves for the Spanish dominions in America, esp. the contract made with Great Britain in 1713.

Assign <Xpage=91>

As*sign" (#) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assigned (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Assigning .] [OE. assignen , asignen , F. assigner , fr. L. assignare ; ad + signare to mark, mark out, designate, signum mark, sign. See Sign .] 1. To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over.

In the order I assign to them. Loudon.

The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned . Southey.

He assigned to his men their several posts. Prescott.

2. To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial.

All as the dwarf the way to her assigned . Spenser.

It is not easy to assign a period more eventful. De Quincey.

3. (Law) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees , for the benefit of creditors.

To assign dower , to set out by metes and bounds the widow's share or portion in an estate.

Kent.

Assign <Xpage=91>

As*sign" , n. [From Assign , v .] A thing pertaining or belonging to something else; an appurtenance. [Obs.]

Six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns , as girdles, hangers, and so. Shak.

Assign <Xpage=91>

As*sign" , n. [See Assignee .] (Law) A person to whom property or an interest is transferred; as, a deed to a man and his heirs and assigns .

Assignability <Xpage=91>

As*sign`a*bil"i*ty (#) , n. The quality of being assignable.