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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)