attempt
Synonyms:
(verb) assay, endeavor, essay, seek, strive, try.
(noun) assay [archaic], bash [chiefly British], bid, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, offer, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, whack, whirl.
Related Words:
(verb) attack, bid, experiment, header, pursue, struggle, solicit, tackle, undertake.
(noun) attack, bid, exertion, experiment, lick, pursuit, struggle, tryout, undertaking, workout.
Synonym Study 1 (Dictionary.com):
Try, attempt, endeavor, and strive all mean to put forth an effort toward a specific end.
Try is the most often used and most general term:
to try to decipher a message; to try hard to succeed.
Attempt, often interchangeable with try, sometimes suggests the possibility of failure and is often used in reference to more serious or important matters:
to attempt to formulate a new theory of motion.
Endeavor emphasizes serious and continued exertion of effort, sometimes aimed at dutiful or socially appropriate behavior:
to endeavor to fulfill one's obligations.
Strive, stresses persistent, vigorous, even strenuous effort, often in the face of obstacles:
to strive to overcome a handicap.
Synonym Study 2 (Merriam-Webster):
Attempt, try, endeavor, essay, and strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.
Attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort:
will attempt to photograph the rare bird.
Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something:
tried to determine which was the better procedure.
Endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty:
endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains.
Essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting:
will essay a dramatic role for the first time.
Strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort:
continues to strive for peace.
Origin:
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Anglo-French atempter from Latin attemptāre “to test, tamper with.” See at-, tempt. Dictionary 2: C14: from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptāre to strive after, from tentāre to try. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of attempt: Verb: 14th century. Noun: circa 1534. History and Etymology for attempt: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- + temptare to touch, try — more at tempt. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
(verb) assay, endeavor, essay, seek, strive, try.
(noun) assay [archaic], bash [chiefly British], bid, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, offer, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, whack, whirl.
Related Words:
(verb) attack, bid, experiment, header, pursue, struggle, solicit, tackle, undertake.
(noun) attack, bid, exertion, experiment, lick, pursuit, struggle, tryout, undertaking, workout.
Synonym Study 1 (Dictionary.com):
Try, attempt, endeavor, and strive all mean to put forth an effort toward a specific end.
Try is the most often used and most general term:
to try to decipher a message; to try hard to succeed.
Attempt, often interchangeable with try, sometimes suggests the possibility of failure and is often used in reference to more serious or important matters:
to attempt to formulate a new theory of motion.
Endeavor emphasizes serious and continued exertion of effort, sometimes aimed at dutiful or socially appropriate behavior:
to endeavor to fulfill one's obligations.
Strive, stresses persistent, vigorous, even strenuous effort, often in the face of obstacles:
to strive to overcome a handicap.
Synonym Study 2 (Merriam-Webster):
Attempt, try, endeavor, essay, and strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.
Attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort:
will attempt to photograph the rare bird.
Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something:
tried to determine which was the better procedure.
Endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty:
endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains.
Essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting:
will essay a dramatic role for the first time.
Strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort:
continues to strive for peace.
Origin:
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Anglo-French atempter from Latin attemptāre “to test, tamper with.” See at-, tempt. Dictionary 2: C14: from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptāre to strive after, from tentāre to try. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of attempt: Verb: 14th century. Noun: circa 1534. History and Etymology for attempt: Verb and Noun: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- + temptare to touch, try — more at tempt. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.