▪ I. sess, n.1
Also 7 sesse.
[Aphetic f. assess n.: see cess n.1]
1. An assessment, impost. Now only dial. and in Ireland, a local rate; = cess n.1 1 a (which is more usual).
| 1580 [see cess n. 1 a]. 1673 Acct. Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 119 Paid to Richerd Bell for the sesse, 8d. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4442/4 They intend to make Sale of the Lands of such Persons.., who refuse to pay the Sesses laid upon them. 1840 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. ii. Row in Omnibus, There's the rent, and the rates, and the sesses, and taxes. |
† 2. Ireland. = cess n.1 2. Obs.
| 1571 Campion Hist. Irel. ii. x. (1633) 126 The abuses whereof with sesse and Souldiours, doe so impouerish and alienate the needie Farmers from us. 1586 [see assess n.]. 1612 [see cess n. 2]. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Kent (1662) ii. 75 Sir Henry Sidney..established the Composition of the Pale, in lieu of Purveyance and Sesse of Souldiers. |
▪ II. sess, n.2 Soap-manuf.
(sɛs)
[Origin obscure.]
Each of the sections composing the frame or mould into which the soap is thrown to cool and solidify after the process of fitting (see fitting vbl. n. 4).
| 1854 Tomlinson's Cycl. Useful Arts (1867) II. 539/1 The semi-fluid mass is ladled out from the precipitated ley into rectangular frames, or sesses, as they are called in Liverpool. |
▪ III. † sess, v. Obs.
Forms: 5 ses, sese, 6 seasse, seise, 6–7 sease, seaze, sesse, 7 seize.
[Aphetic f. assess v.; see cess v.1
For the variation in the length of the vowel, cf. cease v.]
1. trans. To assess or determine officially the amount of (a tax, contribution, wages, or prices); = cess v.1 1.
| 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 382 That the price of ale be sessed at euery lawday by the gret enquest. 1484 Coventry Leet Bk. 519 Wheruppon they were commytte to warde, and their ffyn sessed be þe seid Maire..at xx li. 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 8 The saide maire and the aldermen maie haue power..to sesse fines by their discreasions. 1563 Golding Cæsar v. 108 b, When the hostages were brought in by the day limitted, he appointed dayesmen betwene the Cities to consyder of the matter in variance, and to sesse the penalty. 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 60 The Coroners ought to be there to sesse the wages. 1640 Archdeaconry of Essex Min. (MS.) 1638–40, 195 Not paying iis vi{supd} which he was seast for bread and wyne and diverse other necessary expences. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. lxxxii. 365 Those [taxes] which were at first sessed but for a limited time. |
2. To impose (a tax, fine, etc.) upon a person or community; = cess v.1 2.
| 1465 Paston Lett. II. 199 There putte into the Kynges pryson by cawse of the fyn which was sessed upon the forsaid John Smyth, John Hopton, and me. 1551 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 207 Suche taxe and tallenge as shall be uppon hym taxed and sessyd. 1561 in Rec. Caernarvon (1838) 298 That you giue likewise in chardge to the said Jury to taske and sease such severalle fines vppon the severall offenders. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. i. 16 Any person, upon whom any such Fines shalbe so seased. 1764 [see cess v.1 1]. |
3. To fix the amount of payment due from (a person, a community, a property); to impose a tax upon, tax: const. at, to, unto; also with indirect question as second object. = cess v.1 4.
| 1475 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 139/2 Henry Bodrugan..sessed the people of the said Shire to grete notable sommes. c 1488 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 61 As for our land, we pay our dymes therfore, and trust in you that ye will not ses none thereof, wherby we should have cause to make further labor; for it is not the Kyngs mynd to ses no dymeable land. 1530 Palsgr. 710/1, I sesse, as a kynges officers do a kynges subjectes what they shall paye, je taille. 1542 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 166, ij persons shalbe chosen to sesse and tax..the inhabytaunts. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV, 29 For which cause the Kyng..seassed and fined her at a great some of money. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist., Socrates iii. xi. 306 So that euery one rateably was seased [1619 seised] at a certaine summe. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa i. 43 At last the bird was sessed to pay. 1610 B. Jonson Alch. iii. iv, That was with the griefe Thou took'st for being sess'd at eighteene pence, For the waterworke. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vi. ix. 49 Cæsar..seized them at forty hostages, with sufficiency of graine for his whole army. 1643 Baker Chron., Will. I, 32 Likewise he Sessed all Bishops and Abbotts what number of souldiers they should finde. 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. App. 26 The Clergy and Lords then refusing to pay any more then they were first sessed unto. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 166 Causing his Coin to be stamped with his Master's Inscription, his Subjects Mulcted and Sessed by his Impositions. |
▪ IV. sess, int. Obs. exc. dial. (see Eng. Dial. Dict.).
Also 7 ses.
A call to a dog when giving him food.
| 1606 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. iv. Decay 216 Ses, ses, here Dogs. |
▪ V. sess
variant of cess n.5
| 1887 Hall Caine Deemster xxviii, Bad sess to the women, the idle shoulderin' craythurs. |
▪ VI. sess(e
obs. forms of cease v.