{ it>or }, n. [ OF. essoine, essoigne, F. exoine, L. essonia, exonia; pref. ex- (L. ex from) + sunnis, sunnia, sonia, hindrance, excuse. Cf. Icel. syn refusal, synja to deny, refuse, Goth. sunja truth, sunjōn to justify, OS. sunnea impediment, OHG. sunna. ] 1. (Eng. Law) An excuse for not appearing in court at the return of process; the allegation of an excuse to the court. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Excuse; exemption. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

From every work he challenged essoin. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Essoin day (Eng. Law), the first general return day of the term, on which the court sits to receive essoins. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assigned p. pr. & vb. n. Assigning. ] [ OE. assignen, asignen, F. assigner, fr. L. assignare; ad + signare to mark, mark out, designate, signum mark, sign. See Sign. ] 1. To appoint; to allot; to apportion; to make over. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the order I assign to them. Loudon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The man who could feel thus was worthy of a better station than that in which his lot had been assigned. Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

He assigned to his men their several posts. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fix, specify, select, or designate; to point out authoritatively or exactly; as, to assign a limit; to assign counsel for a prisoner; to assign a day for trial. [ 1913 Webster ]

All as the dwarf the way to her assigned. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not easy to assign a period more eventful. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) To transfer, or make over to another, esp. to transfer to, and vest in, certain persons, called assignees, for the benefit of creditors. [ 1913 Webster ]

To assign dower, to set out by metes and bounds the widow's share or portion in an estate. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Assign, v. ] A thing pertaining or belonging to something else; an appurtenance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdles, hangers, and so. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Assignee. ] (Law) A person to whom property or an interest is transferred; as, a deed to a man and his heirs and assigns. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Law) To transfer or pass over property to another, whether for the benefit of the assignee or of the assignor's creditors, or in furtherance of some trust. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The quality of being assignable. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being assigned, allotted, specified, or designated; as, an assignable note or bill; an assignable reason; an assignable quantity. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. assignat, fr. L. assignatus, p. p. of assignare. ] One of the notes, bills, or bonds, issued as currency by the revolutionary government of France (1790-1796), and based on the security of the lands of the church and of nobles which had been appropriated by the state. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. assignatio, fr. assignare: cf. F. assignation. ] 1. The act of assigning or allotting; apportionment. [ 1913 Webster ]

This order being taken in the senate, as touching the appointment and assignation of those provinces. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An appointment of time and place for meeting or interview; -- used chiefly of love interviews, and now commonly in a bad sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

While nymphs take treats, or assignations give. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A making over by transfer of title; assignment. [ 1913 Webster ]

House of assignation, a house in which appointments for sexual intercourse are fulfilled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. assigné, p. p. of assigner. See Assign, v., and cf. Assign an assignee. ] (Law) (a) A person to whom an assignment is made; a person appointed or deputed by another to do some act, perform some business, or enjoy some right, privilege, or property; as, an assignee of a bankrupt. See Assignment (c). An assignee may be by special appointment or deed, or be created by jaw; as an executor. Cowell. Blount. (b) pl. In England, the persons appointed, under a commission of bankruptcy, to manage the estate of a bankrupt for the benefit of his creditors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who assigns, appoints, allots, or apportions. [ 1913 Webster ]