attempt
verbnouncommon in dialogue
- //əˈtɛmpt//
To try.
verb
- 1
To try.
to attempt an escape from prison
I attempted to sing, but my throat was too hoarse.
A group of 80 budding mountaineers attempted Kilimanjaro, but 30 of them didn’t make it to the top.
Although it's hard to get right, please attempt to do so.
- 2
obsoleteTo try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
Yet since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you.
It made the laughter of an afternoon / That Vivien should attempt the blameless king.
- 3
archaicTo try to win, subdue, or overcome.
one who attempts the virtue of a woman
Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further: / Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute.
- 4
archaicTo attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.
to attempt the enemy’s camp
without attempting his adversary’s life
- 5
To make a substantial but unsuccessful effort (to commit a crime).
Whoever takes a direct and immediate step towards the realisation of the offence as envisaged by them attempts to commit an offence.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin temptō Latin attemptōder. Old French atempterbor. Middle English attempten English attempt Late 14th century, as Middle English attempten, from Old French atempter, from Latin attemptō (“to try, solicit”), from ad- (“to”) + temptō; see tempt. The noun is from the 1530s, the sense "an assault on somebody's life, assassination attempt" (French attentat) is from 1580. By surface analysis, at- + tempt.
noun
- 1
The action of trying at something.
We made an attempt to cross the stream, but didn’t manage.
This poem is much better than the feeble attempt of mine.
It was worth the attempt.
No matter how many failed attempts we made, we maintained a positive attitude and tried again and again until we succeeded.
- 2
An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt.
No man can charge us of any attempt against the realm.
- 3
A substantial but unsuccessful effort (to commit a crime).
Whoever voluntarily abandons the further commission of the offence or prevents its completion incurs no penalty for attempt.
- 4
An act of trying to commit suicide
Her attempt was not successful, and resulted in her being hospitalized.
Forms
- plural
- attempts
- past tense
- attempted
- past participle
- attempted
- present participle
- attempting
- third person singular
- attempts