Adjacent Words

Essaying definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ESSA'YING, ppr. Trying; making an effort; attempting.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.