n. 25B6; noun
he wrote an essay : ARTICLE, composition, study, paper, dissertation, thesis, discourse, treatise, disquisition, monograph; commentary, critique; N. Amer. theme.
(formal) his first essay in telecommunications : ATTEMPT, effort, endeavour, try, venture, trial, experiment, undertaking.
25B6; verb (formal) many essayed to travel that way : ATTEMPT, try, strive, venture, endeavour, seek, undertake.