'Try' definitions:

Definition of 'try'

From: WordNet
noun
Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something; "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try" [syn: attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try]
verb
Make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world" [syn: try, seek, attempt, essay, assay]
verb
Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe" [syn: test, prove, try, try out, examine, essay]
verb
Put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of; "The football star was tried for the murder of his wife"; "The judge tried both father and son in separate trials" [syn: judge, adjudicate, try]
verb
Take a sample of; "Try these new crackers"; "Sample the regional dishes" [syn: sample, try, try out, taste]
verb
Examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process; "The jury had heard all the evidence"; "The case will be tried in California" [syn: hear, try]
verb
Give pain or trouble to; "I've been sorely tried by these students"
verb
Test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!" [syn: try, strain, stress]
verb
Melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities; "try the yak butter"; "render fat in a casserole" [syn: try, render]
verb
Put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice; "Try on this sweater to see how it looks" [syn: try on, try]

Definition of 'Try'

From: GCIDE
  • Try \Try\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. tried; p. pr. & vb. n. Trying.] [OE. trien to select, pick out, F. trier to cull, to out, LL. tritare to triturate (hence the sense of, to thresh, to separate the grain from the straw, to select), L. terere, tritum, to rub, bruise, grind, thresh. See Trite.]
  • 1. To divide or separate, as one sort from another; to winnow; to sift; to pick out; -- frequently followed by out; as, to try out the wild corn from the good. [Obs.] --Sir T. Elyot. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To purify or refine, as metals; to melt out, and procure in a pure state, as oil, tallow, lard, etc. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. --Ps. xii. 6. [1913 Webster]
  • For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. --Ps. lxvi. 10. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To prove by experiment; to apply a test to, for the purpose of determining the quality; to examine; to prove; to test; as, to try weights or measures by a standard; to try a man's opinions. [1913 Webster]
  • Let the end try the man. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To subject to severe trial; to put to the test; to cause suffering or trouble to. [1913 Webster]
  • Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • These are the times that try men's souls. --Thomas Paine (1776) [PJC]
  • 5. To experiment with; to test by use; as, to try a remedy for disease; to try a horse. [1913 Webster]
  • Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • To ease her cares the force of sleep she tries. --Swift. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To strain; to subject to excessive tests; as, the light tries his eyes; repeated disappointments try one's patience. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. (Law) To examine or investigate judicially; to examine by witnesses or other judicial evidence and the principles of law; as, to try a cause, or a criminal. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. To settle; to decide; to determine; specifically, to decide by an appeal to arms; as, to try rival claims by a duel; to try conclusions. [1913 Webster]
  • Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. To experience; to have or gain knowledge of by experience. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Or try the Libyan heat or Scythian cold. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. To essay; to attempt; to endeavor. [1913 Webster]
  • Let us try . . . to found a path. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • To try on. (a) To put on, as a garment, to ascertain whether it fits the person. (b) To attempt; to undertake. [Slang] --Dickens. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: To attempt; endeavor; strive; aim; examine.
  • Usage: Try, Attempt. To try is the generic, to attempt is the specific, term. When we try, we are usually uncertain as to success; when we attempt, we have always some definite object in view which we seek to accomplish. We may be indifferent as to the result of a trial, but we rarely attempt anything without a desire to succeed. [1913 Webster]
  • He first deceased: she for a little tried To live without him; liked it not, and died. --Sir H. Wotton. [1913 Webster]
  • Alack, I am afraid they have a waked, And 't is not done. The attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Try'

From: GCIDE
  • Try \Try\, a. [Cf. Try, v. t.] Refined; select; excellent; choice. [Obs.] "Sugar that is try." --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Try'

From: GCIDE
  • Try \Try\, v. i.
  • 1. To exert strength; to endeavor; to make an effort or an attempt; as, you must try hard if you wish to learn. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To do; to fare; as, how do you try! [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Try'

From: GCIDE
  • Try \Try\, n.
  • 1. A screen, or sieve, for grain. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] --Holland. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Act of trying; attempt; experiment; trial. [1913 Webster]
  • This breaking of his has been but a try for his friends. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. In Rugby and Northern Union football, a score (counting three points) made by grounding the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line; -- so called because it entitles the side making it to a place kick for a goal (counting two points more if successful). [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Synonyms of 'try'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Try'