essay

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. Source: opted

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. Source: opted

3. n. An assay. See Assay, n. Source: opted

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. Source: opted

5. n. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay. Source: opted

6. n. an analytic or interpretive literary composition Source: wordnet

7. n. a tentative attempt Source: wordnet

8. v. make an effort or attempt Source: wordnet

9. v. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to Source: wordnet

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. Source: webster

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. Source: adambom

12. v:1/n:99 n. an analytic or interpretive literary composition n. a tentative attempt Source: ecdict

Thesaurus links

From the definitions

Explore more