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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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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