What does 'Assay' mean in Middle English?

What does 'Assay' mean in Middle English?

• A. A testing of merit
• B. A measure of weight
• C. A sample
• D. A judgment

Answer: (A)

Assay in Middle English centers on the act of trying or testing something to determine its quality or value. So the best fit is “a testing of merit,” because the term was used to describe an examination or trial—the process of assessing worth or content. While later senses link assay to analyzing ore or using a sample for testing, the primary Middle English sense is the evaluative test itself, not a weight measure or a judgment.

Assay in Middle English centers on the act of trying or testing something to determine its quality or value. So the best fit is “a testing of merit,” because the term was used to describe an examination or trial—the process of assessing worth or content. While later senses link assay to analyzing ore or using a sample for testing, the primary Middle English sense is the evaluative test itself, not a weight measure or a judgment.