3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Essay  \Es*say"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Essayed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Essaying}.]  [F.  essayer.  See  {Essay},  n.] 
  1.  To  exert  one's  power  or  faculties  upon  to  make  an  effort 
  to  perform;  to  attempt;  to  endeavor;  to  make  experiment  or 
  trial  of  to  try 
 
  What  marvel  if  I  thus  essay  to  sing?  --Byron. 
 
  Essaying  nothing  she  can  not  perform.  --Emerson. 
 
  A  danger  lest  the  young  enthusiast  .  .  .  should 
  essay  the  impossible.  --J.  C. 
  Shairp 
 
  2.  To  test  the  value  and  purity  of  (metals);  to  assay.  See 
  {Assay}.  [Obs.]  --Locke. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Essay  \Es"say\,  n.;  pl  {Essays}.  [F.  essai,  fr  L.  exagium  a 
  weighing,  weight,  balance;  ex  out  +  agere  to  drive,  do  cf 
  examen,  exagmen,  a  means  of  weighing,  a  weighing,  the  tongue 
  of  a  balance,  exigere  to  drive  out  examine,  weigh,  Gr 
  'exa`gion  a  weight,  'exagia`zein  to  examine,  'exa`gein  to 
  drive  out  export.  See  {Agent},  and  cf  {Exact},  {Examine}, 
  {Assay}.] 
  1.  An  effort  made  or  exertion  of  body  or  mind,  for  the 
  performance  of  anything  a  trial;  attempt;  as  to  make  an 
  essay  to  benefit  a  friend.  ``The  essay  at  organization.'' 
  --M.  Arnold. 
 
  2.  (Lit.)  A  composition  treating  of  any  particular  subject; 
  --  usually  shorter  and  less  methodical  than  a  formal, 
  finished  treatise;  as  an  essay  on  the  life  and  writings 
  of  Homer;  an  essay  on  fossils,  or  on  commerce. 
 
  3.  An  assay.  See  {Assay},  n.  [Obs.] 
 
  Syn:  Attempt;  trial;  endeavor;  effort;  tract;  treatise; 
  dissertation;  disquisition. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  essay 
  n  1:  an  analytic  or  interpretive  literary  composition 
  2:  a  tentative  attempt 
  v  1:  make  an  effort  or  attempt;  "He  tried  to  shake  off  his 
  fears";  "The  infant  had  essayed  a  few  wobbly  steps"; 
  "The  police  attempted  to  stop  the  thief";  "He  sought  to 
  improve  himself";  "She  always  seeks  to  do  good  in  the 
  world"  [syn:  {try},  {seek},  {attempt},  {assay}] 
  2:  put  to  the  test,  as  for  its  quality,  or  give  experimental 
  use  to  "This  approach  has  been  tried  with  good  results"; 
  "Test  this  recipe"  [syn:  {test},  {prove},  {try},  {try  out}, 
  {examine}] 

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