essay
    n 1: an analytic or interpretive literary composition
    2: a tentative attempt
    v 1: make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his
         fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The
         police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve
         himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world" [syn:
         try, seek, attempt, essay, assay]
    2: put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use
       to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test
       this recipe" [syn: test, prove, try, try out,
       examine, essay]

Essay \Es*say"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essayed; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Essaying.] [F. essayer. See Essay, n.]
   1. To exert one's power or faculties upon; to make an effort
      to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or
      trial of; to try.
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            What marvel if I thus essay to sing?  --Byron.
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            Essaying nothing she can not perform. --Emerson.
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            A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should
            essay the impossible.                 --J. C.
                                                  Shairp.
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   2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See
      Assay. [Obs.] --Locke.
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Essay \Es"say\, n.; pl. Essays. [F. essai, fr. L. exagium a
   weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf.
   examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue
   of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, Gr.
   'exa`gion a weight, 'exagia`zein to examine, 'exa`gein to
   drive out, export. See Agent, and cf. Exact, Examine,
   Assay.]
   1. An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the
      performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an
      essay to benefit a friend. "The essay at organization."
      --M. Arnold.
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   2. (Lit.) A composition treating of any particular subject;
      -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal,
      finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings
      of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
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   3. An assay. See Assay, n. [Obs.]

   Syn: Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise;
        dissertation; disquisition.
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