Assay

In Snowmass, Colorado, there is a well-known slope designed for horrendous skiers called Assay Hill. In short, they try, fail, and slide on their asses alllll the way down the hill until they can give up and buy a beer. (It makes for some grrrreat people watching.) Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re talking about here.

In the real world, assay refers to the analysis of something to find out what it really consists of. For example, an assay may be performed by a jeweler to find out how pure the gold in your necklace is. Or an insurance company trying to figure out what it should charge a condominium complex seeking cataclysmic storm insurance.