Assay, vb. to try, attempt: “she hath --ed as much as may be proved,” Ven. 608. “who ever shunned by precedent the destined ill she must herself a.” Compl. 156. “a. the power you have,” Meas. I, 4, 76. “or lose my labour in --ing it,” Err. V, 97. “if we --ed to steal the clownish fool,” As I, 3, 131. “to-night let us a. our plot,” All's III, 7, 44. “the rebels have --ed to win the Tower,” H6B IV, 5, 9. “I would a. to make thee blush,” H6C I, 4, 118. “'twere better not --ed,” Hml. IV, 7, 53. “come on, a.” Oth. II, 1, 121. “passion --s to lead the way,” II, 3, 207. To a. one, properly to probe, to put one to the proof, is either == to apply to, to accost one with a particular purpose: “that he dares in this manner a. me,” Wiv. II, 1, 26; “bid herself a. him,” Meas. I, 2, 186; or to measure swords with one: “seeing thou fallest on me so luckily, I will a. thee,” H4A V, 4, 34; or to tempt one (followed by to): “did you a. him to any pastime?” Hml. III, 1, 14.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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