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One peculiarly dexterous and tasteful in almost any employment, as an opera dancer, a hairdresser, a cook.

Of or pertaining to art or to artists; made in the manner of an artist; conformable to art; characterized by art; showing taste or skill. -- Ar*tis"tic*al*ly, adv.

Wanting art, knowledge, or skill; ignorant; unskillful. Artless of stars and of the moving sand. Dryden.

To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise. [Obs.] When the blessed Virgin was so ascertained. Jer. Taylor. Muncer assured them that the design was approved of by Heaven, and that the Almighty had in a dream ascertained him of its effects. Robertson.…

That may be ascertained. -- As`cer*tain"a*ble*ness, n. -- As`cer*tain"a*bly, adv.

In the early church, one who devoted himself to a solitary and contemplative life, characterized by devotion, extreme self-denial, and self-mortification; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices extreme rigor and self-denial in religious things. I am far from commending those ascetics that take up their quarters…

ause; to ascribe such a book to such an author. The finest [speech] that is ascribed to Satan in the whole poem. Addison.

Of or pertaining to Asia; Asiatic. "Asian princes." Jer. Taylor. -- n.

Roughness to the taste; sourness; tartness.

To bespatter with foul reports or false and injurious charges; to tarnish in point of reputation or good name; to slander or calumniate; as, to asperse a poet or his writings; to asperse a man's character. With blackest crimes aspersed. Cowper.

, as with water or dust, in a literal sense. Behold an immersion, not and aspersion. Jer. Taylor.

ment for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc. Asphalt stone, Asphalt rock, a limestone found impregnated with asphalt.

E. asinus), smaller than the horse, and having a peculiarly harsh bray and long ears. The tame or domestic ass is patient, slow, and sure-footed, and has become the type of obstinacy and stupidity. There are several species of wild asses which are swift-footed.

A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a house, or a town. The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault. Prescott. Unshaken bears the assault Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwe…

am withal persuaded that it may prove much more easy in the assay than it now seems at distance. Milton.

To affirm; to declare with assurance, or plainly and strongly; to state positively; to aver; to asseverate. Nothing is more shameful . . . than to assert anything to be done without a cause. Ray.

Affirming; maintaining. Arguments . . . assertory, not probatory. Jer. Taylor. An assertory, not a promissory, declaration. Bentham. A proposition is assertory, when it enounces what is known as actual. Sir W. Hamilton.

To value; to make a valuation or official estimate of for the purpose of taxation.

Liable to be assessed or taxed; as, assessable property.

sessing; the act of determining an amount to be paid; as, an assessment of damages, or of taxes; an assessment of the members of a club.