Assemble, as-sem′bl, v.t. to call or bring together: to collect.—v.i. to meet together.—ns. Assem′blage, a collection of persons or things; Assem′blance (Spens.), an assembling: (Shak.) semblance: representation; Assem′bly, the act of assembling: the company so assembled: a gathering of persons for any purpose, as for religious worship or social entertainment: specially applied to the lower house of the legislature in some of the United States and British colonies: (mil.) a drum-beat, esp. that before a march, upon which the soldiers strike their tents; Assem′bly-room, a room in which persons assemble, especially for dancing.—General Assembly, in Scotland, Ireland, and the United States, the highest court of the Presbyterian Church; Legislative Assembly, in many of the British colonies, the title of the lower house of the legislature; National Assembly, the first of the revolutionary assemblies in France, which sat 1789-91—also called the Constituent Assembly, superseded in 1791 by the Legislative Assembly. [Fr. assembler—Late L. assimulāre, to bring together, ad, to, similis, like. See Assimilate.]
Assent, as-sent′, v.i. to think or concur with, to admit as true (with to).—n. an agreeing or acquiescence: compliance.—adj. Assentā′neous, ready to agree.—ns. Assent′er, Assent′or, one of the eight voters who indorse the proposer and seconder's nomination of a candidate for election to the parliament of the United Kingdom.—adjs. Assen′tient, Assent′ive.—adv. Assent′ingly.—n. Assent′iveness.—Royal Assent, in England, the sovereign's formal acquiescence in a measure which has passed the two Houses of Parliament. [O. Fr. asenter, assent—L. assentāre, assentīre, L. ad, to, sentīre, to think.]
Assentation, as-sen-tā′shun, n. obsequious assent, adulation.—n. As′sentator (obs.).—adv. Assent′atorily (obs.). [L. assentāri, to flatter, freq. of assentīri, assent, agree.]
Assert, as-sėrt′, v.t. to vindicate or defend by arguments or measures (now used only of the cause as object or reflexive): to declare strongly: to lay claim to or insist upon anything: to affirm: (rare) to bear evidence of.—adj. Assert′able.—ns. Assert′er, Assert′or, a champion, one who makes a positive statement; Asser′tion, affirmation: the act of claiming one's rights: averment.—adj. Assert′ive, asserting or confirming confidently: positive: dogmatic.—adv. Assert′ively.—n. Assert′iveness.—adj. Assert′ory, affirmative.—To assert one's self, to defend one's rights or opinions, sometimes with unnecessary zeal, to thrust one's self forward. [L. asserĕre (superl. assertum), aliquem manu in libertatem, to lay hands on a slave in token of manumission, hence to protect, affirm, declare—ad, to, and serĕre, to join. Cf. Series.]
Assess, as-ses′, v.t. to fix the amount of, as a tax (with upon): to tax or fine: to fix the value or profits of, for taxation (with at): to estimate.—adj. Assess′able.—ns. Assess′ment, act of assessing: a valuation for the purpose of taxation: a tax; Assess′or, a legal adviser who sits beside a magistrate: one who assesses taxes: one who shares another's dignity.—adj. Assessō′rial.—n. Assess′orship. [Fr.—L. assessāre, freq. of assidēre, assessum, to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, from ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]
Assets, as′sets, n.pl. the property of a deceased or insolvent person, considered as chargeable for all debts, &c.: the entire property of all sorts belonging to a merchant or to a trading association. [From the Anglo-Fr. law phrase aver assetz, to have sufficient, O. Fr. asez, enough—L. ad, to, satis, enough.]
Asseverate, as-sev′ėr-āt, v.t. to declare solemnly—an earlier form is Assev′er.—adv. Asseverat′ingly.—n. Asseverā′tion, any solemn affirmation or confirmation. [L. asseverāre, -ātum—ad, to, severus, serious. See Severe.]
Assiduity, as-sid-ū′i-ti, n. constant application or diligence: (pl.) constant attentions, as to a lady.—adj. Assid′uous, constant or unwearied in application: diligent.—adv. Assid′uously.—n. Assid′uousness. [L. assiduitas—assiduus, sitting close at—ad, to, at, sedēre, to sit.]
Assiege, as-sēj′, v.t. (Spens.) to besiege. [See Siege.]
Assiento, as-ē-en′to, n. a word especially applied to an exclusive contract between Spain and some foreign nation for the supply of African slaves for its American possessions. [Sp., a seat, a seat in a court, a treaty.]