[f. ASSORT v. + -MENT; cf. F. assortiment, It. assortimento.]
1. The action of assorting; assorted condition; arrangement or classification into classes or kinds.
1611. Cotgr., Proprieté … a handsome or comelie assortment.
1714. R. Johnson, Noctes Nottingh., 8 (T.). Is it not much more distinct and intelligible, and of better Direction for the assortment and certainty of structure, to say that amor is a transitive Action, and nummi the Patient or Object?
1765. Tucker, Lt. Nat., II. 652. If a certain lucky assortment of corpuscles could produce me into being.
1866. Howells, Venet. Life (1883), I. iv. 72. The absence of quantity and assortment in his wares.
Mod. She was engaged in the assortment of her crewels.
2. A group of things of the same sort; a class formed by assorting.
1759. Adam Smith, Format. Lang., in Mor. Sent. (1797), II. 407. Those classes and assortments, which, in the schools, are called genera and species.
1774. Burke, Sp. Amer. Taxation, Wks. II. 431. In such heterogeneous assortments, the most innocent person will lose the effect of his innocency.
3. An assorted set, whether of different varieties of the same thing (as ‘an assortment of silks’) or of various things (as ‘an assortment of goods’); a variety of sorts adapted to various requirements.
1791. Hamilton, Berthollet’s Dyeing, II. II. 357. To produce an assortment of shades.
1823. Lamb, Elia (1860), 416. Having by us a tolerable assortment of these gift-horses.
1823. J. F. Cooper, Pioneer, viii. (1869), 36/2. Enough to furnish, in the language of the country, an assortment for a store.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 60. Such as the sample is, will the entire assortment be.
