Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Assess

Assess ({not transcribed}) , transitive verb

[Old French assesser to regulate, settle, Late Latin assessare to value for taxation, from Latin assidere, supine as if assessum, to sit by, esp. of judges in a court, in Late Latin to assess, tax. Compare Assize, v., Cess.]

1.
To value; to make a valuation or official estimate of for the purpose of taxation.
2.
To apportion a sum to be paid by (a person, a community, or an estate), in the nature of a tax, fine, etc.; to impose a tax upon (a person, an estate, or an income) according to a rate or apportionment.
3.
To determine and impose a tax or fine upon (a person, community, estate, or income); to tax; as, the club assessed each member twenty-five cents.
4.
To fix or determine the rate or amount of.
This sum is assessed and raised upon individuals by commissioners in the act. — Blackstone