assess English · revision 13153

− It is late Middle English, [[bor|xno|assesser]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from Medieval Latin assessāre, to fix a tax upon,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) a frequentative of Latin assidēre, to sit beside, especially as an assistant judge,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from ad-, to, and sedēre, to sit (see [[sit]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) One duty of the judge's assistant was to fix the amount of a fine or tax.^(Etymonline) Compare [[assize]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998)