I. ˈtrī verb
( tried ; tried ; trying ; tries )
Etymology: Middle English trien, from Anglo-French trier, from Old French, to pick out, sift
transitive verb
1.
a. : to examine or investigate judicially : examine by witnesses or other judicial evidence and the principle of law
no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law — U.S. Constitution
the paucity of women on the superior bench is a serious shortcoming in trying these cases — Current Biography
b.
(1) : to conduct the trial of
they arrested him and he was tried before a Federal jury — American Guide Series: Maryland
(2) : to participate as lawyer or counsel in the judicial examination of
any lawyer who has ever tried a real case — A.T.Vanderbilt
2.
a. : to put to test by experiment, investigation, or trial (as for determining strength, endurance, worth, accuracy, truth, or utility)
taught school, practiced law, tried mining — American Guide Series: Oregon
put his shoulder to the door, then he tried the shutters — Elsie Singmaster
some other apparently inaccessible peak on which to try their ardor and endurance — S.P.B.Mais
trying their luck casting plugs into the surf — R.M.Hodesh
— often used with out
tried out several occupations — Bernard Kalb
tried out various hypotheses as to the nature of heat — S.F.Mason
try out a play on the road
b. : to test to the limit or breaking point : subject to extreme trial (as of severe or continuous strain or extreme or undue hardship, provocation, or affliction)
don't work too hard, darling, or try your eyes — Elizabeth Taylor
here is a tale that will try your credulity — O.S.J.Gogarty
enough to try the patience of a saint — Alban Baer
c. : to demonstrate, discover, or settle by a test or trial
hath still been tried a holy man — Shakespeare
ready to try the question with his fists — George Meredith
3.
a. obsolete : purify , refine
silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times — Ps 12:6 (Authorized Version)
b. : to melt down (as oil, tallow, or lard) and procure in a pure state : render — often used with out
try out whale oil from the blubber
try out chicken fat for cracklings
4. obsolete : to know by experience : experience
5. : to fit or finish with accuracy — usually used with up
the steel square … is used … for laying out and trying up right angles — G.A.McGarvey & H.H.Sherman
6. : to attempt through the exertion of effort, labor, or thought
tries to stop short at irony — A.M.Mizener
tried to demonstrate the existence of a real language of science — T.H.Savory
try to swim a mile
: make an effort for the purpose of
tried walking without a crutch
7. : tease 5
intransitive verb
1. of a ship : to lie in a gale head to the wind under very little canvas
2. : to make an attempt to achieve something or to carry out some action
the girls will always be trying harder — Management Behavior & Foreman Attitude
an adolescent urge to try for a good-night kiss — Lane Kauffmann
— often used with and and a following verb
a sad mistake to try and swim against the stream — George Santayana
must therefore try and carry them with us on policy — Hugh Gaitskell
Synonyms:
attempt , essay , endeavor , strive , struggle : try is a simple word without much suggestive power; it may be used in reference to an attempt undertaken experimentally, tentatively, or uncertainly, or to an attempt ending in failure
freedom in thought, the liberty to try and err — H.L.Mencken
tried to have me assassinated three times — W.M.Thackeray
attempt is almost always synonymous with try but may occasionally be preferred in references to ventures of greater magnitude
Father … do Thou finish above what I on earth have attempted — Thomas De Quincey
here Shakespeare tackled a problem which proved too much for him. Why he attempted it at all is an insoluble puzzle — T.S.Eliot
essay , a rather formal term, may connote a preliminary canvassing or first beginning of a venture or its large and comprehensive nature
the sculpture which attempted to unite repose and action … in a way which Phidias and Donatello were too prudent to essay — W.C.Brownell
it is that continuity of evolution … that I have essayed to describe — J.L.Lowes
endeavor may accentuate greater exertion, repeated effort, or continued search for expedients
no art endeavors to express the emotions of the artist — Samuel Alexander
the first step for every aspirant to culture is to endeavor to see things as they are — C.W.Eliot
the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form — Mary W. Shelley
strive heightens notions of persistent, vigorous exertion to overcome opposition or hindrance
her visitor, who held herself rigidly erect, and strived to mask her nervousness — G.B.Shaw
was striving to come out of the filth, the flies, the poverty, the fishy smells — Sherwood Anderson
loved his country deeply, and strove to serve her by lifting contemporary disputes into a larger air — John Buchan
struggle implies continuing violent or strenuous exertion
heroes fallen or struggling to advance — William Wordsworth
Synonym: see in addition afflict , prove .
•
- try conclusions
- try one's hand
II. noun
( -es )
1. obsolete : trial , test
2. : an attempt especially when undertaken with little hope of success, as one of a series, or when ending in failure
an agreement … is not impossible, and they at least want to make a good try at it — Mark Gayn
would go down in history as a nice try — R.M.Yoder
hurled the cannonball farthest on the thirteenth through fifteenth tries — Current Biography
3.
a. : a play in rugby in which a player grounds the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line and which scores usually four points and entitles the scoring side to try for a place-kick at the goal
b. : try for point