Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Essay
Es′say
,Noun.
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. ἐξάγιον
a weight, ἐξαγιάζειν
to examine, ἐξάγειν
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;
“The essay at organization.” as, to make an
. essay
to benefit a friendM. 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.
Syn. – Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Essay
ESSA'Y
,Verb.
T.
1.
To try; to attempt; to endeavor; to exert one's power or faculties, or to make an effort to perform any thing.While I this unexampled task essay.
2.
To make experiment of.3.
To try the value and purity of metals. In this application, the word is now more generally written assay, which see.