assythment

English

Alternative forms

• assythement
• assithment (dated)

Etymology

From assyth +‎ -ment, from Old French aset, asez, originally meaning "enough". See assets.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈsʌɪðmənt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈsaɪðmənt/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /əˈsaɪθmənt/, /əˈsɛθmənt/

Noun

assythment (countable and uncountable, plural assythments)

1. (Scots law, historical) Compensation or reparation for a criminal offence.
   • 1871, John Erskine, An Institute of the Law of Scotland‎^[1], volume 2, page 1235:

     It may be observed that assythment is not due to the next of kin of a person slain where the offender hath by the exertion of public justice suffered the punishment due to his crime; but whether it can be demanded from the king's donatary where the criminal hath fled from justice and forfeited his movable estate upon a sentence of fugitation, may be doubted.

   • 1894 February, Scottish Notes and Queries‎^[2], volume 7, page 140:

     I, Fergus and my Heirs and Assignies, against all deadly the foresaid Three Daughs, and the forenamed Land of Ardendraught, with their pertinents, liberties and assythments and other privileges as aforesaid.

   • 2003, Christine Peters, Women in Early Modern Britain, 1450-1640‎^[3], page 25:

     Although there is no precise statistical analysis of assythments, bonds of manrent were only very rarely used in such circumstances.