ass s-ear 
buttons, for inlaying woodwork, ami for ollii'r 
purposes. 
aSS's-fOOt (as'ez-fut ). n. Same as rnltxl'iint. 
assuade (a-swad'). /. I. ; pret. and pp. nxsititili-il. 
ppr. nxxiiiiiliiiii. [< \i. us- for ml- + xid/ilin, 
advise : B66 xunxioii, and cf. / rxiuiflr.] To pre- 
sent as advice ; urge persuasively. -V. A'. 2). 
assuage (a-swiij'), r. ; pret. and pp. axxuagi-d, 
ppr. Hxxuuiiiiii/. (Karly mod. K. also iixxirui/i', 
atttcage, and by apheresis XH-<I</< : < M K. iixiini/ni. 
asteaijru, <('!''. itsinuiiji-r, nxuagrr, IIXIMIIIIT = Fr. 
iixxinii'ini; iixiiiirinr, < ML. us if "iixxiiitrinri; < 
L. urf, to, + xiinrix. sweet : see snuff ami , < /. 
Cf. iihridgi; < li.alitirrriiin- ; iillt'i/t'-, < I. \i.nll>- 
riitrr, etc.] I. tnnix. To soften, in it figurative 
sense; allay; mitigate. ease, or lessen, as pain 
or grief; moderate; appease or pacify, as pas- 
sion or tumult. 
Yet In- \\itli strong perswusions her n**ini:i.'<t. 
And Winnie her will t,i sutler him depart. 
cr, K. ()., IV. vi. 4:>. 
KefreshhiK n imls the snniim'r's heats aMtun.i. . 
.(ililixnil. 
For the first time in history, she |the church) inspire!] 
AOOMIldS tO d0TOte their entire lives, through sacrifice 
and danger, to the single olij, vt nf mxiu^i/n/i the sutTer- 
itm^ nt Immunity. HV/v/i. l',n. Lit., I. 81. 
= Syn. Allfrintf. AV/i'crv, .Vi'fi'.""'e. etc. (see iill.'n'nl, I; In 
appease, mollify, temper (see lists miller <i!l.'i-<,tt- all'l 
.f//,II/l). 
II. t iii trans. To abate or subside ; grow less: 
as, "let thin hert nxxitniii;" (ioirrr ; "the waters 
uxxicagril," Gen. viii. 1. 
assuagement (a-swaj'ment), . [< OP. aswtge- 
nit-iit, < asuager: see HXXIHIIIC and -i/ient.] 1. 
The act of assuaging ; mitigation; abatement. 
f^/ii-iiser. 2. An alleviative ; a sedative. 
assuager (a-swa'jer), n. One who assuages or 
allays ; that which mitigates or abates. 
assuasive (a-swa'siv), a. and . [< an- 1 + 
suasire, as in persuasive, with reference to as- 
suage.] I. a. Softening; mitigating; trauquil- 
i/.ing: soothing. [Rare.] 
Music her soft atmaritc voice applies. 
Popt, St. Cecilia's Day, 1. 26. 
II. n. A soothing medicine or application, 
assubjugatet (a-sub' jo-gat), r. t. [< os-i + xiih- 
/</"''.] To reduce to subjugation ; put into a 
low or unworthy position ; debase. [Rare.] 
No, this thrice worthy and right valiant lord 
Must not . . . amntbjugate his merit . . . 
By going to Achilles. Shot., T. and C., ii. 3. 
assuefactiont (as-we-fak'shon), n. [< L. as if 
*aii$uefactio(n-), < asstiefaccre, pp. assuefaetus, 
make accustomed to, habituate, < assuetus, pp. 
of assuescere, accustom (see assuete), + facerr, 
make.] The act of accustoming ; the state of 
being accustomed ; use ; habituation. 
Right and left, as part inservient unto the motive facul- 
ty, are differenced by degrees, by use, and amtffactinn. 
Sir T. Brtnntf, Vulg. Err., Iv. 6. 
assuetet, a. [< L. assuetus, pp. of assuescere, 
accustom, habituate, < ad, to, + suescere, incep- 
tive of "suere, be wont: see custom.] Accus- 
tomed; practised. Iflount. 
assuetudet (as'we-tud), . [< L. assuetudo, cus- 
tom, < assuetus, pp. : see assuete. Cf. desue- 
tude.'] Custom; habit; habitual use. 
Antniftu'lc of things hurtful doth make them lose their 
force to hurt. RICOH, Nat. Hist., $ 67. 
assumable (a-su'ma-bl), a. [< assume + -able.] 
Capable of being assumed or taken for granted. 
assumably (a-su'ma-bli), adr. As may be as- 
sumed; presumably. 
The Macfarlane Highlanders, who were armed oxxttma- 
l>hi with target and broadsword. 
A*, and Q., 6tli ser., XII. 40. 
assume (a-sum'), . ; pret. and pp. assumed, 
ppr. assuming. [< L. assumere, take to one's 
self, take up, receive, accept, claim, assume, < 
ad, to, + sumere, take, contr. from 'subimere. 
< sub, under, -t- emere, take, buy : see eruption, 
emptor, redeem.] I. trans. 1. To take into rela- 
tion or association ; adopt ; take in ; admit : as, 
"Enoch and Elias were assumed up into heaven," 
Abp. Abbot. See assumption, 5. [Archaic.] 
The sixth was a young knight . . . amnntted into that 
honourable company. Scott. 
2. To take upon one's self ; undertake : as, to 
assume the responsibility of a proceeding; to 
assume office ; to assume an obligation. 
AKXIUIIC thy winged throne, thou Vesper of our throng! 
Shelley, Adonais, st. 4. 
\inong those subject kings whom the Assyrians had 
established in Egypt the descendants of the first Necho 
itfiKtiitiffl, after the fall of N'ineveh, the position of inde- 
pendent sovereigns. Von Rank?, Univ. Hist, (trans.), p. 83. 
3. To take or put on one's self; invest one's 
self with: as, to assume the garb of a mendi- 
351 
cant, or the figure of an animal; to IIXXHIIH a 
severe aspect : "to nxxiiuii' man's nature," Mil- 
IIIH. \\ I,., iii. :i:t. 
They say the ileiil can </.... ,n. heaven s briglitnc--. 
And su appear l.i tempt us. 
rbfctar, Lojrml subject, iii. i>. 
ranTline . . . hail pcrsuaileil Mi>. pi \,,i- tu <i**ninr her 
liunnct anil summer hal, and t.i take It walk with her. 
I'lffirl,,!!,' I;,;, 1,1.'. Shirley, \\\. 
SiNJeli PI. iii <i,iiin,'il the niilitaiv ty|K' in EiiKlaud 
whieh it <i<t, ,!,<! ajMin the eimtincnt. 
./. /-V..7,.. \,n. i I'M!. Ideas, p. 12S. 
\\hcat i|lliekh -r-M'i/c - TH' hatiits of life. 
Itarinu, Var. of Animals ami I'limtii. p. :CU. 
4. To apply to one's self; appropriate. 
His m:ljest\ Illicit \lell n*xi/ni.' the eomplaint of King 
Hiivid. Clartnduti. 
His Hnliness tlie I'upe, liy virtae of Keini; I'hrist s \ iee 
gcrent U|MHI earth, jiioasls >I**HU<>'I/ t" himself a ri^ht to 
ilispose of the territories of intlilels as he thought tit. 
.1. Hamilton. Works, II. 68. 
Hastings had ecas, .,1 t" diitetvncf his arms as a cadet, 
and nMtiin'-,l them unbroken. t-'n,-ii<\ tint., XI. 687. 
6. To take for granted or without proof; sup- 
pose as a fact: postulate: as, to .<.)< a prin- 
ciple in reasoning. 
lo nerally it may be luwninxrf that rhetoric will not sur- 
vive the :i-r ni the eieun n ii, .iu in manners and the gor- 
-riiii- iii r,.stnnie. De V" ""'/. Klietoiii. 
If the step from mechanics to ehctnistry is known, has 
Keen proved, and is admitted, that from chemistry to life 
is annimrd, and amuatd without the slightest reason. 
Bfalf, Protoplasm, p. 117. 
6. To take fictitiously; pretend to possess; 
take in appearance : as, to assume the garb of 
humility. 
Awumr a virtue, if you have it not. 
ffhak., Hamlet, 111. 4. 
7t. To claim. 
Like a bold champion I aemiiit the lists. 
Shak., Pericles, i. 1. 
= Syn. 6. To affect, feign, counterfeit. 
n. intrans. To be arrogant; claim more than 
is due ; presume. 
assumedly (a-su'med-li), adv. As is or may be 
assumed or taken for granted; presumably. 
assumentt (a-su'ment), n. [< LL. assumentttm, 
a piece sewed on, < L. assitere, sew on, < ad, to, + 
suere, sew, = E. seic, q. v. ] A piece sewed on ; 
a patch ; an addition. 
The tuutttineitt or addition Dr. Marshall never could find 
anywhere but in this Anglo-Saxonick translation. 
./. ;../, Hist of Eng. Bibles, p. 9. 
assumer (a-sii'mer), n. One who assumes ; an 
arrogant person. 
These high a*mintr* and pretenders to reason. Smith. 
To swear at the mention of axmnnrr* and pretenders to 
baronetcies. /'/ .it!,n,i,,'. I.I I. 365. 
assuming (a-su'ming), p. a. Taking or dis- 
posed to take upon one's self more than is just ; 
disposed to attribute to one's self undue impor- 
tance; haughty; arrogant. 
His haughty looks and his ajunimiity air 
The son of Isis could no longer bear. Dryden. 
A virtue that might repress the most amtuming. 
Uolilxinitlt, The Bee, No. 8. 
Syn. Bold, forward, presuming, self-confident, 
assuming* (a-su'ming), n. Presumption. 
The vain a^uiniitijs of some. B. Jonson, Poetaster, 
assumingly (a-su'ming-li), adr. In an assum- 
ing manner ; arrogantly. 
assumpsit (a-sump'sit), n. [L., he undertook ; 
third pers. sing, perf . ind. of assumcre, assume, 
undertake: see assume.] In laic: (a) An ac- 
tion lying for the recovery of damages sustained 
through the breach of a simple contract (that 
is, a promise not under seal), in which the 
plaintiff alleges that the defendant assumpsit, 
that is, promised or undertook, to perform the 
act specified. In England and In most of the United 
States this, like the other common-law forms of action, 
has been superseded by statute. Hence (6) An ac- 
tionable promise, express or implied by law. 
assumptt (a-sumpf), r. t. [< L. assumptus, pp. 
of assumcre, take up: see assume.] 1. To take 
up; raise. See assume, v. t., 1. 
She was aianimpted into the cloud. 
Hall, Hen. VIII., an. 14. 
2. To assume, as a proposition or premise. 
Supposition (UMumpttd is when a manifest supposition 
is asmilipted to prove another thing withal, as ... the 
disputer will amimpt this assertion, which salth that of 
false things there is no certain knowledge, and truth Is 
not known but of true things. BmnrfeittUc, 1619. 
3. To assume, as a property, attribute, etc. 
I do grant it to lie Christ's true body and flesh by a prop- 
erty of the nature imtiumpted to the Godhead : yea, and we 
do really eat and drink His flesh and blood after a certain 
real property. 
Ridley, In R. W. Ulxon's Hist Church of Eng., xvi., note. 
assurance 
4. To take to one's self : put on ; assume. 
And fi*xnnii'f"t. 01 tooke to his Arms ... a t'ro>-c Sil 
vcr, in a Meld vert. ltKfi-nvll, Armorie. p. !. (.V. /;. !>.} 
assumptt (a-sumpf), ii. [< Ij.iixxiiiii/iliin/, neiit. 
of iixxiimiitux, pp., assumed: see nxxiini/it, i-.\ 
That which is assumed; an assumption. 
The sum of all vnn <I'/KI;-N. 
(h;ili,i : iin:rth. Kclig. of I'rotestanU, i. I. 
assumption (a-sump'shon). ii. [< M K. nxxumii- 
I'liniii, OMtMUmotM (of tiie Virgin Mary), < ML. 
itxxHntpliii(ii-), a taking up (into heaven); L.,a 
taking up, adoption, the minor proposition of 
a syllogism ; < axxunn n . pp. iixxiiniptiix, take up, 
etc. : see IIXSIIHII-.\ 1. The act of taking to one's 
self; a taking upon one's self ; utidertaking. 
sirn i >>> of our ti, sh. \*e know what shape 
to picture lio.1 ill. . lal.le-Tulk, p. 55. 
An a**<iini>ti"it of iK.wer not eonfern-d by the ronstitn 
tion and lawn. /). MVW.T, S|ech, Senate, May 7, 18S4. 
2. The act of taking for granted, or supposing 
without proof ; supposition. 
The tummptinn of a final cause in the structure of each 
part of animals and plants is as inevitable an the HXKIHH/I- 
Htm of an efficient cause for every event 
HI,, ,,-.ll, \,,\. Ort'. Renovatum. p. KB. 
3. The thing supposed ; a postulate or propo- 
sition assumed. 
Let well-weiu'he'l eonsiilerations. not stiff and Jiercinp- 
tory assumptions, guide thy discourses. 
Sir T. Brownt, Christ Mor., IL 8. 
In fact, the putting of limits to human conception must 
always involve the (uxwnptioii that our previous experi- 
ence is universally valid in a theoretical sense : an ai*m/j- 
(IOM which we have already seen reason to reject. 
'. A". Cli/ont, Lectures, I. 155. 
4. In logic, the minor premise in a categorical 
syllogism. 
Still more objectionable are the correlative terms prop- 
osition and aiuuiiiptiun as synonymous for the major and 
minor premises. Sir H". Hamilton, Logic. 
[This use of the word, originating with Cicero (Latin tu- 
tnimptio), was revived in the sixteenth century, anil Is com- 
mon in modern Latin, but is rare in English.] 
5. The taking up of a person into heaven; 
specifically, the traditional anticipated resur- 
rection or bodily taking up into heaven of the 
Virgin Mary after her death, celebrated by the 
Roman Catholic, Greek, and Oriental churches 
by the feast of the Assumption on the 15th of 
August. 6. Adoption, or making use of. 
It is evident that the prose psalms of our liturgy were 
chiefly consulted and copied by the perpetual tummptioiu 
of their words and combinations. 
T. H'arton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, III. 172. 
7. In fair, the agreement of the transferee of 
property to pay obligations of the transferror 
which are chargeable on it. 8. A conceited 
disposition, characterized by a tendency to 
claim more than is one's due ; presumption. 
The priest, however arrogant his tummptim, makes a 
civil salute. //. flpenter, Prill, of Sociol., 34S. 
Arms Of assumption. See ami'-', 7, and tummptirr 
ann, under (uuruiiijitt'iv. Assumption clause. Sec 
clause. Deed Of assumption, in Sn>t* late, a deed exe- 
cuted by trustees under a trust deed or deed of settlement, 
assuming a new trustee or trustees. Syn. 2 anil 3. Con- 
jecture, hypothesis, theory', postulate. 8. Pride, Prf- 
mmptwn, etc. (see arro^aiw**) ; omciousness, forwardness, 
self-confidence, self-conceit, face. 
assumptions (a-sump'shus), a. [< assumption + 
-ous. Cf. presumptuous.] Assuming; presump- 
tuous. [Rare.] 
assumptive (a-sump'tiv), a. [< L. assumptivug, 
taken in addition, < assumptus, pp. of assiimere, 
take, assume: see assume.] 1. Capable of be- 
ing assumed ; assumed. 
Writing under an assumptive character. 
Wycherly, Plain Dealer. Pref. 
2. Marked or characterized by assumptions. 
Trivial, scholastic, and assiiiiiptire methods. 
Q. S. Hall, German Culture, p. Sll. 
Assumptive arms, in *. : (n) Formerly, arms not pa- 
ternal, assumed in consequence of an exploit (6) N'ow, 
arms which a person has a right, with the approbation of 
his sovereign and of the heralds, to assume, (r) Armorial 
bearings improperly assumed. [Rare in last use.] Also 
called arm* of a*innnption. 
assumptively (a-sump'tiv-li), adv. In an as- 
sumptive or assumed manner; by way of as- 
sumption. 
assurable (a-shOr'a-bl), a. [< assure + -able.] 
Capable of "being assured; suitable for insur- 
ance : as, an assurable property. 
assurance (a-shor'ans), n. [<ME. assuraunre, 
< OF. asxeurance, F. assurance = Sp. aseguran- 
za = It. assccuranza (= E. assccurance, q. v.), 
< ML. ajisecurantia, < assecurare, assure : see 
assure and -n/n . ] 1. The act of assuring; a 
formal or earnest statement intended to pro- 
duce belief or conviction ; a positive declara- 
tion intended to give confidence : as, I trusted 
to his assurances. 
