As*sert" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Asserted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Asserting.] [L. assertus, p. p. of asserere to join or
fasten to one's self, claim, maintain; ad + serere to join or
bind together. See Series.] 1. To affirm; to
declare with assurance, or plainly and strongly; to state positively; to
aver; to asseverate.
Nothing is more shameful . . . than to assert
anything to be done without a cause.
Ray.
2. To maintain; to defend. [Obs. or
Archaic]
That . . . I may assert Eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of God to men.
Milton.
I will assert it from the scandal.
Jer. Taylor.
3. To maintain or defend, as a cause or a claim, by
words or measures; to vindicate a claim or title to; as, to assert
our rights and liberties.
To assert one's self, to claim or vindicate one's
rights or position; to demand recognition.
Syn. -- To affirm; aver; asseverate; maintain; protest;
pronounce; declare; vindicate. -- To Assert, Affirm,
Maintain, Vindicate. To assert is to fasten to one's
self, and hence to claim. It is, therefore, adversative in its
nature. We assert our rights and privileges, or the cause of tree
institutions, as against opposition or denial. To affirm is to
declare as true. We assert boldly; we affirm positively. To
maintain is to uphold, and insist upon with earnestness, whatever we
have once asserted; as, to maintain one's cause, to maintain
an argument, to maintain the ground we have taken. To
vindicate is to use language and measures of the strongest kind, in
defense of ourselves and those for whom we act. We maintain our
assertions by adducing proofs, facts, or arguments; we are ready to
vindicate our rights or interests by the utmost exertion of our
powers.
