Thesaurus: essay

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Definitions

1. n. 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. n. 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. n. An assay. See Assay, n.
4. n. 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.
5. n. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay.
6. n. an analytic or interpretive literary composition
7. n. a tentative attempt
8. v. make an effort or attempt
9. v. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
10. 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. 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.
11. A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usuallyshorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, anessay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or oncommerce.
12. v:1/n:99 n. an analytic or interpretive literary composition n. a tentative attempt