assess

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈsɛs/^[1]

Etymology

It is late Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-Norman assesser,^[2][3] from Medieval Latin assessāre, to fix a tax upon,^[2][3] a frequentative of Latin assidēre, to sit beside, especially as an assistant judge,^[2][3][4] from ad-, to, and sedēre, to sit (see sit).^[3][2][5] One duty of the judge's assistant was to fix the amount of a fine or tax.^[3] Compare assize.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

To fix the amount of a tax or fine: 1423, in the Rolls of Parliament, in Barnhart; the early 15th century in Etymonline; 1447–48 in the OED.^[2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

To impose a tax or fine upon a person or property is from 1494,^[6] and to estimate officially the value of property or income for taxation from 1809.^[6] The general sense, to evaluate a person or thing, is first recorded in 1934.^[6] Assessment is from 1548 and assessor from 1427.^[2]

Timeline

• 1423 – to fix a tax or fine.^[2]
• 1427 – assessor.^[2]
• 1494 – to impose a tax upon.^[6]
• 1548 – assessment.^[2]
• 1809 – to value for taxation.^[6]
• 1934 – to evaluate.^[6]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To judge the worth, importance or extent of; to evaluate.
2. To estimate the value of property or income for tax.
3. To set the amount of a tax, fine or damages.
4. To charge a person or property with a tax or fine.

Word family

• assessable
• unassessed
• reassess
• assessment
• overassess
• overassessment
• unassessable

Related words

• assessor
• assize
• assiduous
• sit
• cess

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press