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assert

verb, noun — 7 senses

assert

verb

UK /əˈsɜːt/ · US /əˈsɝt/

Etymology From Latin assertus, perfect passive participle of asserō (“declare someone free or a slave by laying hands upon him; hence free from, protect, defend; lay claim to, assert, declare”), from ad (“to”) + serō (“join, range in a row”).

1

To declare with assurance or plainly and strongly; to state positively.

  • Numerous experimental tests and other observations have been offered in favor of animal mind reading, and although many scientists are skeptical, others assert that humans are not the only species capable of representing what others do and don’t perceive and know.2012 March-April, Colin Allen, “Do I See What You See?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 26 Apr 2012, page 168:
  • He would often assert that there was life on other planets.
2

To use or exercise and thereby prove the existence of.

  • to assert one's authority
  • Salman Rushdie has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work.
3

To maintain or defend, as a cause or a claim, by words or measures; to vindicate a claim or title to.

  • to assert our rights and liberties
4

To insist on the legitimacy of one's rights, opinion, etc; not to allow oneself to be dismissed; to ensure that one is taken into consideration; to make oneself respected; to be assertive. See assert oneself.

  • Since going to therapy, I've found it much easier to assert myself.
5

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences To declare that a condition or expression must be true at a certain point in the source code (in some cases causing the program to fail if it is not, as a safeguard).

6

Business, Electrical engineering, Electricity, Electromagnetism, Electronics, Energy, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics To set a signal on a line using a voltage or electric current.

Antonyms
remit, deny, deassert
Derived terms
assertability, assertable, asserter, assertive, assertment, assert oneself, assertor, counterassert, misassert, overassert, reassert, unassert

assert

noun

Etymology From Latin assertus, perfect passive participle of asserō (“declare someone free or a slave by laying hands upon him; hence free from, protect, defend; lay claim to, assert, declare”), from ad (“to”) + serō (“join, range in a row”).

1

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences Synonym of assertion.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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