ˈefə(r)]t also -ˌfȯr] or -ˌfȯ(ə)] sometimes -ˌfōr] or -ˌfōə]; usu ]d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French, from Old French esfort, esforz, from Old French esforcier to force (as in s'esforcier to exert oneself) — more at efforce
1.
a. : conscious exertion of physical or mental power
the constant effort of the dreamer to attain his ideal — Henry Adams
the church was built through community effort
the speech of the Southerner appears to ignore effort in its slow, carelessly articulated syllables — American Guide Series: North Carolina
b. : expenditure of energy toward a particular end : forceful attempt
his clumsy efforts at certain rural tasks — A.C.Cole
made one last effort to obtain Negro suffrage in the South — Carol L. Thompson
the company's efforts to improve working conditions
c. : hard work
an A for effort
the work is highly skillful … one feels, what was absent from the previous work, a distinct sense of effort — F.J.Mather
2. : the product or result of expenditure of energy — used especially of a literary or artistic creation
their magnificent churches being justly ranked among the most wonderful efforts of the human hand — H.T.Buckle
one of his television efforts — J.P.Shanley
3.
a. : active or effective force
muscular effort
b. : the force applied to a simple machine (as a lever) as distinguished from the force exerted by it against the load
4. : the total energy expended and work done to achieve a particular purpose or result : undertaking
the war effort
an unsuccessful rescue effort
Synonyms:
effort , exertion , pains , and trouble can signify in common the active expenditure of physical or mental power in producing or attempting to produce a desired result. effort implies conscious attempt or a toiling or straining to achieve
to divorce the worker's income from any dependence on the efforts he makes — Time
modern science, with infinite effort, has discovered and announced that man is a bewildering complex of energies — Henry Adams
made an effort to increase his income
exertion stresses the active, often vigorous, exercise of a power or faculty
his work was done with remarkable grace, but with exertions which it was painful to witness — Margaret Deland
prodigious exertions were made to bring in the cargoes and to protect the ships — Sir Winston Churchill
by a violent exertion of his powers of self-command he reassumed his tranquillity — Elinor Wylie
pains implies toilsome or solicitous effort
taken unusual pains to inform himself beforehand concerning the subject matter of the conference — Vera M. Dean
exercising great pains to improve one's speech
trouble implies exertion that inconveniences
a lazy man's expedient for ridding himself of the trouble of thinking and deciding — B.N.Cardozo
no need to go to all the trouble of pushing through a constitutional amendment — Zechariah Chafee
for the trouble of looking, … you will acquire the warm and palpitating facts of life — R.L.Stevenson