assess

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points: 6
Words With Friends: 6
Letters: 6

Pronunciation

/əˈsɛs/

See all 2 pronunciations

/əˈsɛs/ · /əˈses/

Definition of assess

3 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

verb

(transitive)To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.

“He assessed the situation.”
“An insurance adjuster will assess the damage.”
“Similarly, the Paris Agreement allowed countries to voluntarily report their military emissions, which means that we still do not have any way to accurately assess the global environmental toll of warfare.”

See all 3 definitions

verb

(transitive)To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate.

“He assessed the situation.”
“An insurance adjuster will assess the damage.”
“Similarly, the Paris Agreement allowed countries to voluntarily report their military emissions, which means that we still do not have any way to accurately assess the global environmental toll of warfare.”
(transitive)To impose or charge, especially as punishment for an infraction.

“The referee assessed a penalty for delaying the game.”
“A $10.00 late fee will be assessed on all overdue accounts.”
“Judge Cohen ruled that Blacklock, McKenzie and Benschop must make restitution for the $50.29 damage and that each must pay a mandatory $40.00 surcharge assessed to anybody who is found guilty of a misdemeanor in New York state.”
(transitive)To calculate and demand (the tax money due) from a person or entity.

“Once you've submitted a tax return, the Tax Department will assess the amount of tax you still owe.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

See full etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *sed- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *sedéh₁yeti Proto-Italic *sedēō Latin sedeō Latin assideō Latin assessus Medieval Latin assessareder. Old French assesserbor. Middle English assessen English assess From Middle English assessen, from Old French assesser, from Medieval Latin assessare, originally the frequentative of Latin assessus, past participle of assidēre, from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit; settle down”). Cognate with Spanish asentar (“to settle”).