INDEX:
try to do something
1. to try to do something
2. to try very hard to do something
3. to try as hard as you can
4. to try to do something even though you might not succeed
5. to try to get a job, position, prize etc
6. to try very hard to help someone
7. when you try to do something
to try something to see if it is good
8. to try something to see if it is good
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ WORK
↑ DO/NOT DO
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1. to try to do something
▷ try /traɪ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
▪ Sorry I didn’t phone you. I did try, but your line was busy.
▪ I tried all the keys, but none of them would open the door.
try to do something
▪ I tried to get another job but I had no luck.
▪ Try to relax and empty your mind.
▪ He tried to walk past me down the stairs, but I stopped him.
try hard
try using a lot of effort
▪ I was trying hard to concentrate, but my mind kept wandering.
try doing something
▪ You could try parking by the library - there’s usually room in the car park there.
try and do something
▪ I’ll tell some jokes to try and cheer him up.
try [countable noun]
▪ Don’t give up yet - have another try.
▷ attempt /əˈtempt/ [transitive verb]
to try to do something, especially something that is difficult, dangerous, or new :
▪ No one has attempted this experiment before.
▪ A rescue was attempted by Coast Guards, but it was not successful.
attempt to do something
▪ Any prisoner who attempts to escape will be shot.
▪ Someone had attempted to open the car door.
▪ They are attempting to become the first to climb Everest without oxygen tanks.
▷ have a try also have a go especially British /ˌhæv ə ˈtraɪ, ˌhæv ə ˈgəʊ/ [verb phrase] spoken
to try to do something, especially when you think you may not succeed :
▪ I can’t get the lid off this jar. Do you want to have a try?
▪ Have a go - you might be able to get the answer.
have a try/go at doing something
▪ We had a go at trying to coax the cat indoors using scraps of food.
▷ see if you can do something /ˌsiː ɪf juː kən ˈduː something/ [] spoken
to try to do something - use this either to offer to do something for someone, or to ask someone to do something for you :
▪ If you want to come to the show, I’ll see if I can get you a ticket.
▪ See if you can get him to change his mind.
▷ make an attempt /ˌmeɪk ən əˈtempt/ [verb phrase]
to try on one occasion to do something, especially something difficult, dangerous, or new :
make an attempt to do something
▪ I made an attempt to apologize, but Brian wouldn’t even talk to me.
▪ Several attempts were made to negotiate with the gunmen.
make no attempt to do something
▪ The protesters made no attempt to resist arrest.
▷ endeavour to do something British /endeavor to do something American /ɪnˌdevəʳ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] formal
to try to do something :
▪ We always endeavour to provide our customers with the highest standards of service.
▪ I remained for some time endeavouring to engage Mr Campbell in conversation.
▷ seek to do something /ˌsiːk tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase] formal
to try to achieve something, especially something that may take a long time but which you think is important :
▪ The Smiths are now seeking to take their case to the European Court.
▪ For over two decades the USA sought to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.
▪ Our economic policies seek to increase productivity, expand markets and create jobs.
▷ struggle to do something /ˌstrʌg ə l tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to try to do something that is difficult :
▪ There are too many families struggling to survive on low incomes.
▪ I found my father struggling to lift one end of an enormous chest of drawers.
▪ She struggled to express her feelings.
struggle [countable noun]
struggle to do something
▪ Animals face a real struggle to survive in these harsh conditions.
2. to try very hard to do something
▷ try hard /ˌtraɪ ˈhɑːʳd/ [verb phrase]
to make a lot of effort, because you want very much to do something :
▪ No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the window to open.
try hard to do something
▪ I was trying hard not to laugh.
▪ You must try harder to get your homework done on time.
▷ make an effort /ˌmeɪk ən ˈefəʳt/ [verb phrase]
to try hard to do something, especially something you do not want to do but you think you should do :
▪ Can’t you make more of an effort?
make an effort to do something
▪ I made an effort to sound interested in what he was saying.
▪ I wish you’d make an effort to get on with my friends.
make no effort to do something
▪ She makes absolutely no effort to see the other person’s point of view.
▷ strive /straɪv/ [intransitive verb] formal
to try hard to achieve something, especially when this is difficult :
strive to do something
▪ Toni has been striving to achieve musical recognition for the past ten years.
strive for
▪ The company must constantly strive for greater efficiency.
▷ be at pains to do something /biː ət ˌpeɪnz tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to make a lot of effort to do something, especially to explain something people do not understand correctly :
▪ Mrs Henessy was at pains to say that she was fighting for a principle, not just for financial compensation.
▷ go to great lengths to do something /gəʊ tə ˌgreɪt ˌleŋθs tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to be willing to use any method that is necessary in order to achieve something, even if this involves being dishonest, breaking the law etc :
▪ Health professionals have gone to great lengths to reassure patients that the treatment is safe.
▪ Some firms will go to great lengths, including spying, to obtain information about their competitors.
3. to try as hard as you can
▷ try as hard as you can /traɪ əz ˌhɑːʳd əz juː ˈkæn/ [verb phrase]
▪ Come on, try as hard as you can!
▪ I tried as hard as I could, but I still couldn’t get everything into one suitcase.
try as hard as you can to do something
▪ She tried as hard as she could to look interested.
▷ do/try your best /ˌduː, ˌtraɪ jɔːʳ ˈbest/ [verb phrase]
to try as hard as you can, even when the situation is difficult and you are not sure if you will succeed :
▪ I don’t know if I’ll manage to get everything finished by Friday, but I’ll certainly do my best.
do/try your best to do something
▪ Harry did his best to sound calm, but it was obvious that he was really annoyed.
▪ She tried her best not to laugh.
▷ do the best you can /duː ðə ˌbest juː ˈkæn/ [verb phrase]
to try as hard as you can to do something, even though it is difficult or you do not have enough time, money etc to do it really well :
▪ It’s a very tough exam but just do the best you can.
▪ More medical supplies will be arriving next week -- until then, doctors and nurses must do the best they can.
do the best you can to do something
▪ I did the best I could to make him change his mind, but he refused.
▷ pull out all the stops /ˌpʊl aʊt ˌɔːl ðə ˈstɒpsǁ-ˈstɑːps/ [verb phrase] informal
to do everything possible to make an event, celebration, competition etc successful :
▪ They gave me a great leaving party - they really pulled out all the stops.
▪ If we pull out all the stops we should still be able to meet our deadline.
▷ give something your best shot /ˌgɪv something jɔːʳ ˌbest ˈʃɒtǁ-ˈʃɑːt/ [verb phrase] informal
to try to do something as well as you can, even though you do not have all the necessary skills or equipment :
▪ I’m not promising I’ll succeed, but I’ll give it my best shot.
▷ do your utmost /ˌduː jɔːr ˈʌtməʊst/ [verb phrase]
to try as much as you possibly can, and for as long as possible, to achieve something very difficult :
▪ We have done our utmost. There is no more we could possibly do.
do your utmost to do something
▪ The Secretary of State assured reporters that the Administration was doing its utmost to avoid war.
▷ do everything/all you can /duː ˌevriθɪŋ, ˌɔːl juː ˈkæn/ [verb phrase]
to use every possible method to try to do something :
▪ I’m trying to help -- I’m doing everything I possibly can.
▪ I did everything I could to raise money, including selling my house.
▪ Her mother did all she could to encourage Tracy to study medicine.
▷ give your all /ˌgɪv jɔːr ˈɔːl/ [verb phrase]
to use all your energy and determination to achieve something that is personally very important to you :
▪ She gave her all in the last race, but it wasn’t quite good enough to win.
▷ as best you can /əz ˌbest juː ˈkæn/ [adverb]
if you do something as best you can, especially something difficult or unpleasant, you try as hard as you can to do it because you cannot change the situation :
▪ I cleaned the car up as best I could, but it still looked a mess.
▪ We’ll have to manage as best we can without you.
▷ to the best of your ability /tə ðə ˌbest əv jɔːr əˈbɪlə̇ti/ [adverb]
if you do something to the best of your ability, you do it as well as you can, even if you are not sure that you are doing it very well :
▪ I have always done my work to the best of my ability.
▪ All the children competed and performed to the best of their ability.
4. to try to do something even though you might not succeed
▷ have a go /ˌhæv ə ˈgəʊ/ [verb phrase]
▪ I’m not sure I’ll be able to persuade him, but I’ll certainly have a go.
have a go at
▪ I’ll have a go at repairing the roof myself.
▷ give it a go/a try/a whirl /ˌgɪv ɪt ə ˈgəʊ, ə ˈtraɪ, ə ˈwɜːʳl/ [verb phrase] spoken informal
to try to do something you have not tried before and do not know if you will be successful at :
▪ I’ve never done any acting before, but I’ll give it a try.
▪ It sounds like a great idea - let’s give it a whirl.
▪ You ought to give it a go at least.
5. to try to get a job, position, prize etc
▷ try for /ˈtraɪ fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to try to get something you want very much, for example a job, a prize, or a chance to study somewhere :
▪ Why don’t you try for this job as an Assistant Scientific Officer?
▪ I’ve decided to try for Harvard University.
▷ go for /ˈgəʊ fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to try to get something you want very much, especially something that is difficult to achieve, such as a prize or a high position :
▪ Why don’t you go for a music scholarship?
▪ Are you going to go for the senior manager’s job?
▷ try out for /ˌtraɪ ˈaʊt fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb] American
to try to get chosen for a sports team or for a part in a play :
▪ Joan tried out for the school basketball team.
▪ I’m not going to bother trying out for the play - I know I’m not good enough!
▷ angle for /ˈæŋg ə l fɔːʳ/ []
to try to make someone give you something or say something good about you without asking them directly :
▪ He was talking to Helen, angling for an invitation to her next party.
▪ She asked us how she looked, obviously angling for a compliment.
▷ make a bid for /ˌmeɪk ə ˈbɪd fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase]
to try to get an important job or a position of power - used mainly in newspapers :
▪ The party now feels the time is right to make a bid for power.
make a successful/unsuccessful bid for something
▪ Mr Meaney made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency two years ago.
▷ shoot for /ˈʃuːt fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb] American informal
to try to get an important job or achieve something very difficult :
▪ There are five Democrat candidates shooting for president this year.
▪ Management is shooting for a 40% increase in productivity over six months.
▪ I think you should go for it - shoot for the top!
▷ struggle for /ˈstrʌg ə l fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase]
to make a lot of effort over a long period to get something that is very important to you, but that is very difficult to get :
▪ The people are still struggling for liberation from a brutal, oppressive regime.
▪ Many small businesses are struggling for survival in this difficult economic climate.
▪ He struggled for the right words to say.
struggle [countable noun]
struggle for for
▪ They are making some progress in their struggle for equal rights.
▷ go all out /gəʊ ˌɔːl ˈaʊt/ [verb phrase]
to put all your energy and determination into trying to get or win something :
go all out for
▪ The German team will be going all out for a win in next Saturday’s game.
go all out to do something
▪ We’re going all out to make our sales target this year.
▷ audition /ɔːˈdɪʃ ə n/ [intransitive verb]
to try to get a part in a play, concert, film etc by performing to a group of people who will judge whether or not you are suitable for it :
audition for
▪ She met her husband when she auditioned for the part of Ophelia in an all-black production of ‘Hamlet’.
6. to try very hard to help someone
▷ bend over backwards to do something /ˌbend əʊvəʳ ˌbækwəʳdz tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to make every possible effort to be helpful or to please someone, even when this causes you difficulty or inconvenience :
▪ I bend over backwards to help him, but I never get any thanks for it.
▪ The school have bent over backwards to accommodate Jan’s mobility difficulties.
▷ go out of your way to do something /gəʊ ˌaʊt əv jɔːʳ ˌweɪ tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to make a special effort to help someone, especially someone who needs help and support :
▪ When Annie arrived, Harriman went out of his way to make life pleasant for her.
▪ Jennifer knew what a difficult time I was having, and went out of her way to be friendly.
▷ take the trouble to do something /ˌteɪk ðə ˌtrʌb ə l tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to make a special effort to do something you think will be useful or helpful :
▪ Take the trouble to learn all of your students’ names. They will appreciate it.
▪ My bank manager took the trouble to write a very detailed letter answering my inquiry.
▪ The head of department has been very helpful - he even took the trouble to show me round the premises during his lunch hour.
7. when you try to do something
▷ attempt /əˈtempt/ [countable noun]
when you try to do something, especially something you have not tried before :
▪ After four attempts, Mike finally passed his driving test.
attempt an attempt to do something
▪ All my attempts to get the machine working failed miserably.
▪ It was a deliberate attempt to mislead the voters.
make an attempt
▪ The climbers will make another attempt to reach the summit today.
in an attempt to do something
▪ The government has announced that it will fund an extra 10,000 doctors in an attempt to reduce waiting times for operations.
▷ effort /ˈefəʳt/ [countable/uncountable noun]
an attempt to do something, especially when this involves a lot of hard work or determination :
▪ Cleaning up polluted rivers will take considerable time and effort.
▪ Faster and faster he pulled on the rope, gasping with the effort.
effort to do something
▪ All his efforts to convince Lucy failed.
effort at
▪ The workers went on strike after efforts at negotiation with management broke down.
in an effort to do something
▪ The company has announced 500 job losses in an effort to cut costs.
▷ campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ [countable noun]
a planned series of activities that are intended to persuade people to do something or to bring social or political change :
campaign to do something
▪ The government’s campaign to recruit more black police officers has not been a success.
campaign for
▪ the campaign for prison reform
election campaign
a campaign to win an election
▪ All kinds of extravagant promises were made during the election campaign.
advertising campaign
▪ The company has spent over £50 million on its latest advertising campaign.
launch/mount a campaign
start a campaign
▪ The company has launched an advertising campaign in the hope of attracting new customers.
▷ drive /draɪv/ [countable noun]
a planned effort, especially by a company or a government, to achieve a particular kind of improvement within a short time :
drive for
▪ We need a new drive for investment in Britain’s inner cities.
drive to do something
▪ The government must continue this drive to find new, cleaner forms of energy.
efficiency/economy/modernization etc drive
▪ As part of the bank’s efficiency drive substantial cuts are being made in the workforce.
8. to try something to see if it is good
▷ try /traɪ/ [transitive verb]
to do or use something for a short time in order to find out if it is successful, if you enjoy it, or if it is suitable :
▪ I tried aerobics once, but I didn’t really enjoy it.
▪ Have you tried those new barbecue-flavoured crisps?
▪ His mother tried threats, bribery -- everything, but Danny still refused to go to school.
▪ There was no answer at his workplace, so Mandy tried his home number.
try doing something
▪ I think you should try planning your essays in rough before you start writing.
▷ try out /ˌtraɪ ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to use a new method, a new product, or that you have learned, in order to find out how good, how successful, or how suitable it is :
try out something
▪ They sell paint in very small cans so you can try out the different colours at home.
▪ Dietmar enjoyed trying out his English on American troops stationed in Berlin.
try something out
▪ It was six months before she had a chance to try her songs out in front of a live audience.
▷ give something a try /ˌgɪv something ə ˈtraɪ/ [verb phrase]
to try using or doing something, although you are not sure if it will succeed or if it is suitable or good :
▪ I’m not sure that writing to complain will do much good, but we can give it a try.
▪ Why don’t we give that new wine bar a try?
▷ sample /ˈsɑːmplǁˈsæm-/ [transitive verb]
to try an activity to see if you enjoy it and if you would like to do it some more :
▪ The hotel provides an excellent base from which visitors can sample the delights of scuba diving and waterskiing.
▷ have a go/bash /ˌhæv ə ˈgəʊ, ˈbæʃ/ [verb phrase] British informal
to do something for the first time to see whether you can do it, whether you enjoy it etc :
▪ She’s never tried skiing before, but she’s willing to have a go.
▪ The competition’s open to anyone, so why not have a bash?
have a go/bash at doing something
▪ Most kids get the opportunity to have a bash at writing poetry when they’re at school.
have a go on something
try using a machine
▪ Can I have a go on your computer?
▷ try your hand at /ˌtraɪ jɔːʳ ˈhænd æt/ [verb phrase]
to try an activity that is new to you and that interests you, especially something that you need to learn special skills for :
▪ He first tried his hand at motor racing in 1963, but without much success.
try your hand at doing something
▪ After she lost her job, she thought she’d try her hand at writing a novel.
▷ experiment with /ɪkˈsperɪment wɪð, ɪkˈsperəment wɪð/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to try something in order to see what it is like or what effect it has :
▪ We’re experimenting with a new filing system.
▪ A new wave of rock bands experimented with different rhythms and beats.
▪ A lot of fourteen and fifteen year olds experiment with drugs.
▷ trial and error /ˌtraɪəl ənd ˈerəʳ/ [noun phrase]
the process of trying a lot of different ways of doing something, in order to find out which one works best :
by trial and error
using trial and error
▪ We found out by trial and error which plants could survive the dry conditions.
a process of trial and error
▪ We learn new skills through a process of trial and error.