assess
/əˈsɛs/ verb
Forms assesses assessing assessed
- verb (transitive) To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate; to estimate. “He assessed the situation.”
- verb (transitive) To impose or charge, especially as punishment for an infraction. “The referee assessed a penalty for delaying the game.”
- verb (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.”
Synonyms
esteem rate value appraise apprise apprize evaluate judge price prize valuate weigh worthen measure tax
Etymology
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To value; to make a valuation or official estimate of for the purpose of taxation.
- verb 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.
Etymology [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.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “assess”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details