ESSAY

n. & v.

n. 1 a composition, usu. short and in prose, on any subject. 2 (often foll. by at, in) formal an attempt.

v.tr. formal attempt, try. essayist n.

[ ME f. ASSAY, assim. to F essayer ult. f. LL exagium weighing f. exigere weigh: see EXACT ]