[es.say] vt (14c) 1: to put to a test
2: to make an often tentative or experimental effort to perform: try syn see attempt -- es.say.er n
[2]es.say n [ME, fr. MF essai, ultim. fr. LL exagium act of weighing, fr. ex- + agere to drive--more at agent] (14c) 1: trial, test
2. a: effort, attempt; esp: an initial tentative effort b: the result or product of an attempt 3 a: an analytic or interpretative literary composition usu. dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view b: something resembling such a composition "a photographic ~"
4: a proof of an unaccepted design for a stamp or piece of paper money