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essay

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
es·say  (s, -s)
n.
1. (s)
a. A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author.
b. Something resembling such a composition: a photojournalistic essay.
2. A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing: an essay of the students' capabilities.
3. An initial attempt or endeavor, especially a tentative attempt.
tr.v. (-s, s) es·sayed, es·say·ing, es·says
1. To make an attempt at; try.
2. To subject to a test.
[French essai, trial, attempt, from Old French, from essayer, to attempt, from Vulgar Latin *exagire, to weigh out, from Late Latin exagium, a weighing : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin agere, to drive; see ag- in Indo-European roots. V., from Middle English assaien, from Old French assaer, assaier, variant of essayer.]
es·sayer n.
essay
n [ˈɛseɪ (for senses 2,3 also) ɛˈseɪ]
1. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively
2. an attempt or endeavour; effort
3. a test or trial
vb [ɛˈseɪ] (tr)
1. to attempt or endeavour; try
2. to test or try out
[from Old French essaier to attempt, from essai an attempt, from Late Latin exagium a weighing, from Latin agere to do, compel, influenced by exigere to investigate]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.essayessay - an analytic or interpretive literary composition
piece of writing, written material, writing - the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect); "the writing in her novels is excellent"; "that editorial was a fine piece of writing"
paper, theme, report, composition - an essay (especially one written as an assignment); "he got an A on his composition"
disquisition - an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion
memoir - an essay on a scientific or scholarly topic
thanatopsis - an essay expressing a view on the subject of death
2.essay - a tentative attempt
attempt, effort, try, endeavor, endeavour - earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something; "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try"
Verb1.essayessay - 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"
attempt, try, assay, seek
pick up the gauntlet, take a dare - be dared to do something and attempt it
act, move - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
struggle, fight - make a strenuous or labored effort; "She struggled for years to survive without welfare"; "He fought for breath"
have a go, give it a try - make an attempt at something; "I never sat on a horse before but I'll give it a go"
grope - search blindly or uncertainly; "His mind groped to make the connection"
endeavor, endeavour, strive - attempt by employing effort; "we endeavor to make our customers happy"
give it a try, give it a whirl - try; "let's give it a whirl!"
adventure, gamble, run a risk, take a chance, take chances, risk, chance, hazard - take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome; "When you buy these stocks you are gambling"
lay on the line, put on the line, risk - expose to a chance of loss or damage; "We risked losing a lot of money in this venture"; "Why risk your life?"; "She laid her job on the line when she told the boss that he was wrong"
2.essayessay - put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"
test, try out, try, examine, prove
pass judgment, evaluate, judge - form a critical opinion of; "I cannot judge some works of modern art"; "How do you evaluate this grant proposal?" "We shouldn't pass judgment on other people"
verify, control - check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard; "Are you controlling for the temperature?"
float - circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with; "The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"
field-test - test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used; "The Army field tested the new tanks"
essay
noun
1. composition, study, paper, article, piece, assignment, discourse, tract, treatise, dissertation, disquisition, SA (S.M.S.) He was asked to write an essay about his home town.
2. (Formal) attempt, go (informal), try, effort, shot (informal), trial, struggle, bid, test, experiment, crack (informal), venture, undertaking, stab (informal), endeavour, exertion His first essay in running a company was a disaster.
verb
(Formal) attempt, try, test, take on, undertake, strive for, endeavour, have a go at, try out, have a shot at (informal), have a crack at (informal), have a bash at (informal) He essayed a smile, but it was a dismal failure.
Translations
essay
A. [ˈeseɪ] N (Literat) → ensayo m (Scol, Univ) → trabajo m
B. [eˈseɪ] VT (frm) → probar, ensayar; [+ task] → intentar
to essay to + INFIN → intentar + infin
essay [ˈɛseɪ] n
[student] → dissertation f; [school pupil] → rédaction f
a history essay → une dissertation d'histoire
(= work of literature) → essai m
(= attempt) → tentative f
essay1 (form)
vt (= try) → (aus)probieren
n → Versuch m
essay2
n → Essay m or nt; (esp Sch) → Aufsatz m
essay [ˈɛseɪ] n (Literature) → saggio (Scol) → tema m, composizione f
essay
n essay [ˈesei]
a written composition; a piece of written prose The examination consists of four essays; Write an essay on/about your holiday. opstel مَقال، مَقالَه есе písemná práce; test essay; skriftlig opgave; stil der Aufsatz πραγματεία, δοκίμιο ensayo, redacción essee مقاله essee rédaction, essai מַאֲמָר प्रयास esej, sastavak esszé karangan ritgerð saggio, composizione 小論 소론, 평론, 논평; 수필, 에세이 rašinys, esė eseja; sacerējums esei opstel essay, (skole)stil wypracowanie, esej composição eseu, compunere эссе; сочинение písomná práca; esej esej esej essä, uppsats เรียงความ deneme 隨筆 есе; твір کسی موضوع پر کوئی مضمون یا مقالہ bài tiểu luận 随笔
essay → مقال esej essay Aufsatz δοκίμιο ensayo essee dissertation esej componimento エッセイ 수필 essay essay esej dissertação эссе uppsats เรียงความ deneme bài luận 短文


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The product of a large store of reading has been here secreted anew for the reader who desires to see, in bird's-eye view, the light and shade of a long and varied period of poetic literature, by way of preparation for Shakespeare, [9] (with a full essay upon whom the volume closes,) explaining Shakespeare, so far as he can be explained by literary antecedents.
The Guardian by Pater, Walter Horatio View in context
So it was ordained, and then there was made a cry, that every man should essay that would, for to win the sword.
English Literature For Boys And Girls by Marshall, H.E. View in context
said the Editor, sententiously, without looking up from his essay on the circularity of the political horizon.
Fantastic-Fables by Bierce, Ambrose View in context
 
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