Essay word meaning and definition

[noun] a tentative attempt
[noun] an analytic or interpretive literary composition
[verb] 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"
[verb] put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"

\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. 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. 3. An assay. See {Assay}, n. [Obs.] Syn: Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition.
\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. What marvel if I thus essay to sing? --Byron. Essaying nothing she can not perform. --Emerson. A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible. --J. C. Shairp. 2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See {Assay}. [Obs.] --Locke.

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