charge (a person or a property) with a payment, such as a tax or a fine
"The city council voted to assess all homeowners in the district an additional fee for the new streetlights."
To determine, estimate or judge the value of; to evaluate
"The committee will assess the damage before deciding on repairs for the flooded warehouse."
In plain English: To assess means to figure out how much something is worth or how serious a problem is.
"The manager will assess the damage before deciding how to repair the roof."
Usage: Use assess to mean evaluating something by examining its specific qualities or worth rather than simply guessing an amount. It implies a careful process of judgment, such as assessing a student's performance or assessing the damage after an accident.
The word "assess" comes from Medieval Latin assessare, which originally meant to sit beside someone. It entered English through Old French and Middle English, evolving from a term describing sitting near or settling down into its current sense of evaluating value.