Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To try to perform, make, or achieve.
- transitive verb Archaic To tempt.
- transitive verb Archaic To try to seize or get control of by attacking.
- noun An effort or a try.
- noun An attack; an assault.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A putting forth of effort in the performance or accomplishment of that which is difficult or uncertain; essay, trial, or endeavor; effort.
- noun An effort to accomplish something by force or violence; an attack or assault: as, an attempt upon one's life.
- noun Temptation.
- noun In law, an act done in part execution of a design to commit a crime. Judge May.
- To make an effort to effect or do; endeavor to perform; undertake; essay: as, to
attempt a bold flight. - To venture upon: as, to
attempt the sea.— - To make trial of; prove; test: as, “well-attempted plate,” Fairfax.
- To try with afflictions. Jer. Taylor.
- To endeavor to obtain or attract.
- To try to win or seduce; tempt; entice.
- To attack; make an effort against; assail: as, to
attempt the enemy's camp; to attempt a person's life. - Synonyms Attempt, Essay, Undertake, Endeavor, Strive, Struggle, seek, aim. The italicized words agree in expressing the beginning of a task, physical or intellectual, which is difficult and often impossible. They are arranged in the order of strength. Attempt is to try with some effort. Essay is sometimes to try in order to see if a thing can be done or attained, and sometimes simply to attempt: as, “which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned,” Heb. xi. 29. Undertake is, literally, to take a task upon one's self, perhaps formally, and hence to go about a task with care and effort. Endeavor is to try with more earnestness, labor, or exertion. Strive is to work hard and earnestly, doing one's best. Struggle is to tax one's powers to the extent of fatigue, pain, or exhaustion. The first three words are more appropriate for a single effort, the other three for continuous or continual efforts.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb obsolete To make an attempt; -- with
upon . - transitive verb To make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor to do or perform (some action); to assay
- transitive verb Obs. or Archaic To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
- transitive verb To try to win, subdue, or overcome.
- transitive verb To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.
- noun A essay, trial, or endeavor; an undertaking; an attack, or an effort to gain a point; esp. an unsuccessful, as contrasted with a successful, effort.
- noun (Law) such an intentional preparatory act as will apparently result, if not extrinsically hindered, in a crime which it was designed to effect.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To
try .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb make an effort or attempt
- noun earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
- noun the act of attacking
- verb enter upon an activity or enterprise
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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He was unhappily deceived in his attempt, which certainly would have been confidered as an a£t of conlum* mate bravery, had it been fuppofed, within the bounds o£ poiTibility, for fortune to have favoured his attempt* That not being the cafe, thole who would have rejoiced in the former iniiance When beftowing on him that tribute of applaufe juftly due to a gallant a£t, were compelled to be content with the fileni tear of compaflSon for the unhappjr fate of a raih and defperate man.
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By shutting down all discussion, those who use the term attempt to creat a Mannichean divide that actually lessens the chance that those they are discussing things with will be likely to hear, understansd, and possibly accept theirviews.
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By shutting down all discussion, those who use the term attempt to create a Mannichean divide that actually lessens the chance that those they are discussing things with will be likely to hear, understand, and possibly accept theirviews.
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It wasn't the most graceful landing, but Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar beat the tag attempt by Tigers third baseman Don Kelly on a two-run triple in the sixth inning of Saturday night's game.
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A twinge in his right wrist gave him a little scare here but he says he will be ready to go tomorrow, when he begins his title attempt against American Michael Russell.
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Brooks also spots the a sly dig from the LDS press office -- the use of the word "attempt."
Mormons may have last laugh at 'South Park'-like Broadway show 2011
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The Fed assisted with its short term attempt to spur the economy with Quantitative Easing 2 QE2, buying $600 billion.
Robert Auerbach: Does the Stimulus Stimulate? Robert Auerbach 2011
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Here the attempt is at regulating a contract with, at most, intrastate implications (since the exchange pools are intrastate only).
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The Fed assisted with its short term attempt to spur the economy with Quantitative Easing 2 QE2, buying $600 billion.
Robert Auerbach: Does the Stimulus Stimulate? Robert Auerbach 2011
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Sometimes the attempt is the path, and becoming too concerned with end results can mar the pleasure of the journey; indeed, it can mar the work itself.
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