Essay

n.	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.
	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.
v. t.	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. [imp. & p. p. Essayed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Essaying.] 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.

Noun	1.	essay - an analytic or interpretive literary composition
	2.	essay - a tentative attempt
Verb	1.	essay - 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" Synonyms: attempt, try, assay, seek
	2.	essay - put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe" Synonyms: test, try out, try, examine, prove

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