▪ I. assent, v.
(əˈsɛnt)
Forms: 3–5 asent(e, acent(e, 4–6 assente, 4– assent. Aphet. 4–5 sent. (pa. tense and pple. 4–5 asent, assent.)
[a. OF. a(s)sente-r:—L. assentāre (-āri), irreg. freq. of L. assentīre (-īri), f. as- = ad- to + sentīre to feel, perceive, think, whence also F. assentir, used in OF. beside assenter, and now the only form.]
1. a. intr. To give the concurrence of one's will, to agree to (a proposal), to comply with (a desire). Arch. in general sense, and commonly replaced by consent, exc. as said of the sovereign assenting to a measure, or as in 4. (Rare obs. const. for.)
| 1297 R. Glouc. 96 Þe maydenes wolde raþer dye, þan acente þer to. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1596 The kyng assentede to his bone. 1450 Myrc 1644 Ȝef þow ley on hym more Thenne he wole asente fore. 1576 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 329 The Maister assented easily to their desire. 1670 Ld. North in Somers Tracts (1748) I. 2 Having assented to a Publication. 1771 Junius Lett. xliv. 237 The constitutional duties of a house of Commons are..to propose or assent to wholesome laws. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 126 Would Enoch have the place? And Enoch all at once assented to it. 1863 Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. ii. iii. 341 The Lords passed a resolution, to which the King assented. |
b. without prepositional const. arch.; see prec.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 2692 He swor his oþ · þat he a-sent nold. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. v. 98 So alle myne claymes ben quyt · by so þe kynge asente. 1611 Bible Luke xxiii. 24 Pilate gaue sentence [marg. assented] that it should be as they required. 1878 B. Taylor Pr. Deukalion ii. ii. 65 Assent, and the future is sure. |
† c. with inf. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Judith xii. 10 Go, and sweteli moue this Ebru, that..she sente to dwelle with me. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. iii. 170 To be maried for monye · mede hath a-sented. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iv. 297 And thou wert well assent To let it ren owt most plenteosly. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xx. (1632) 979 The summe assented to be gathered was sixescore thousand pounds. |
† d. trans. (elliptically) To agree to, sanction. Obs.
| a 1641 Strafford Lett. II. 120 If it shall be thought fit..I assent it with all my heart. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics xx. 329 Godliness, and honesty, need nothing but to be maintained and assented by the prince. |
† 2. a. intr. To come to an agreement as to a proposal; to agree together, determine, decide. Const. to, into. Obs.
| c 1300 Beket 1107 To this consail everechone assentede. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 246 They sworen and assenten every man To lyf with hir and dye. c 1440 Bk. Curtasye in Babees Bk. 316 Þo clerke of kechyn, countrollour, Stuarde, coke, and surueyour, Assenten in counselle..How þo lorde schalle fare at mete. 1634 Malory's Arthur (1816) I. 107 Into this counsel the five kings assented. |
† b. esp. in pa. pple. Come to agreement, come to a conclusion or resolution, agreed. Obs.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 538 Whan sche so was a-sented · sche seide sone after. c 1400 Destr. Troy xxxiii. 13008 The Rebellis..þat were assent to the slaght of his sure fader. c 1430 Syr Generides 2025 Thoo baronnes were assented sone Al hir will forto doone. 1528 More Heresyes iv. Wks. 276/1 Yf the worlde were assented therunto. |
† c. trans. To agree, determine, decide upon (a thing proposed). Obs.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 1480 They assentyn, by on assent, A riche croune of red gold. c 1386 Chaucer Doctor's T. 146 Whan that assented was this cursed reed. 1591 Lambarde Arch. (1635) 143 No matter shall be assented, but at the least there assent thereunto foure Councellors. |
† 3. a. intr. To conform in practice, submit, yield (to). Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4386 He sal þam turment Þat wille noght til his law assent. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 169 Schir Ihon the balleol..Assentyt till him, in all his will. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 84 To assent is better þan for to offer þe fatnes of schep. a 1520 Myrr. Our Ladye 7, I laboure to kepe the wordes..as farre as oure language wyll well assente. 1636 Healey Epictetus' Man. xxvii. 33 To curbe thy minde from too quicke assenting to thine eye. |
† b. trans. with cognate object. Obs.
| 1615 T. Adams Leaven 105 They..that..subscribe and assent obedience to his hests. |
4. a. To give or express one's agreement with a statement or matter of opinion; to agree to an abstract proposition, or a proposal that does not concern oneself, or involve one's own action. Const. to (with, unto, obs.). The ordinary modern use as distinguished from consent.
| c 1380 Wyclif Three Treat. 24 Crist wole not assent with thes, for thei may not be sothe. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. i. 190 Al þe route of ratons · to þys reison a-sentede. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xlviii. 49 To this word assentyd ful foure and twenty. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. 1655 Pref. 2 This opinion is also assented unto by holy Scriptures. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 411 ¶4 We see, and immediately assent to the Beauty of an Object. 1718 Free-thinker No. 90. 243 My readers will readily assent to the Truth of what I have observed. 1874 F. Hall N. Amer. Rev. CXIX. 329 Assenting to the premises, we reject the conclusion. |
b. without prepositional const.
| 1528 More Heresyes i. Wks. 126/1 Which thinge bicause I daily se, I assented. 1611 Bible Acts xxiv. 9 The Iewes also assented, saying that these things were so. 1735 Pope Prol. Sat. 201 Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer. 1873 Black Pr. Thule iii. 40 She assented with a gracious smile. |
† c. with or to a person, i.e. to his opinion. Obs.
| 1632 Heywood Iron Age i. i. i, æneas, your aduise assents with vs. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth (1723) 25 Some..fully assent to me herein. 1783 Watson Philip III (1793) II. vi. 255 They undoubtedly assented to the king in the opinion he entertained. |
† 5. refl. in prec. senses. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. xi. 95, I assent[e] me quod I. c 1400 Destr. Troy x. 4241 All assentid hom sone, þat his saw herd. 1447–8 J. Shillingford Lett. (1871) 51 To which bothe parties..aggreed and assented ham. 1470–85 Malory Arthur (1816) II. 98 ‘I assent me thereto,’ said sir Palomides. |
▪ II. assent, n.
(əˈsɛnt)
Forms: 4–5 asent(e, acent(e, 5 assente, 4– assent. Aphet. 4–5 sent(e.
[a. OF. a(s)sent, a(s)sente, f. assenter: see prec.]
1. The concurrence of the will, compliance with a desire. arch. and repl. by consent, exc. as in next.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4955 Ye solde him out of myn assent. a 1330 Otuel 47 And Ich wele ben at acent, That thou sschalt wedde Belecent. 1418 Abp. Chichele in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 2. I. 5 He hath ȝiven his assent therto. 1739 T. Sheridan Persius ii. 31 By what do you propose to purchase the Assent of the Gods? 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles vi. iii, There Bruce's slow assent allows Fair Isabel the veil and vows. |
2. Official, judicial, or formal concurrence of will; sanction; the action or instrument that signifies such concurrence.
| c 1386 Chaucer Doctor's T. 204 Thurgh thassent of this juge Apius. 1461 J. Paston in Lett. 408 II. 35, I wyll nothyng graunt withowt the under shreves assent. a 1672 Wren in Gutch Coll. Cur. i. 247 All those, whose votes were known to depend upon his will, gave their assents. 1737 Pope Horace Epist. ii. ii. 30 Laws, to which you gave your own assent. 1863 Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. i. vi. 48 A bill does not become an Act of Parliament until it has received the Royal assent. 1877 Burroughs Taxation 407 Those who sign such written assents may withdraw. |
† 3. The concurrence of a number of persons in sentiment or purpose; accord. Obs.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 94 Thay songen wyth a swete asent. c 1440 Morte Arth. (Roxb.) 72 Through the sente of all..Ganne the kynge a lettre make. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. liv. 38 Crouned and made kyng by assent of the britons. c 1500 Lancelot 421 And one of them, with al ther holl assent. Saith, etc. 1718 Pope Iliad i. 31 The Greeks in shouts their joint assent declare. |
b. esp. in phrases by or with one assent, common assent. arch. exc. as influenced by senses 2 and 5.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 1480 They assentyn, by on assent. c 1320 Sir Beues 1713 Be comin acent, Ther was comin parlement. c 1485 Digby Myst. ii. 477 Let vs both by on assent go to the busshopys. 1538 Starkey England 11 Thys cyvyle lyfe was a polytyke ordur..stablyschyd by commyn assent. 1611 Bible 2 Chron. xviii. 12 The prophets declare good to the king with one assent. 1843 Carlyle Past & Pr. (1858) 182 Travelling with one assent on the broad way. |
† 4. Opinion. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iv. 187 Ȝif ȝe bidden buxomnes, be of myne assente. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 288 Men most enquere (this is myn assent) Wher sche be wys, or sobre, or dronkelewe. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1359, I cord with that assent. 1559 Myrr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk xviii. 1 The Lords and Commons both of like assent. |
5. Agreement with a statement, an abstract proposition, or a proposal that does not concern oneself; mental acceptance or approval. (The ordinary modern use, as distinguished from consent.)
| c 1534 tr. Polyd. Verg. Eng. Hist. (1846) I. 169 Which thinge [he]..sayde not withoute the aspiration and assent of the Hollie Spirit. 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 2 This assent, or judgment of any thing to be true. 1794 Sullivan View Nat. I. 15, I must honestly confess my full assent to the doctrine. 1843 Mill Logic Introd. (1868) 5 Our assent to the conclusion being grounded on the truth of the premises. |
b. in the formal phrase assent and consent.
| 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 9 a, Provinge his assent and consente of such endowemente. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. I. xiv. 143 The deliberate assent and consent of a parliament. |
▪ III. † aˈssent, pa. pple. Obs.
[App. f. send; but spelt like prec. word: cf. asend v.]
Used frequently by Gower, app. in the two senses: Sent forth; sent for.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 343 This Climestre him had assent. Ibid. II. 54 Therupon of one assent The maidens weren anone assent. Ibid. III. 327 He let sommone a parlement, To which the lordes were assent. |