try

try  (tr)

v. tried (trd), try·ing, tries (trz)

v.tr.

1. To make an effort to do or accomplish (something); attempt: tried to ski.

2. To taste, sample, or otherwise test in order to determine strength, effect, worth, or desirability: Try this casserole. Try the door.

3. Law

a. To examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process.

b. To put (an accused person) on trial.

4. To subject to great strain or hardship; tax: The last steep ascent tried my every muscle.

5. To melt (lard, for example) to separate out impurities; render.

6. To smooth, fit, or align accurately.

v.intr.

To make an effort; strive.

n. pl. tries (trz)

1. An attempt; an effort.

2. Sports In Rugby, an act of advancing the ball past the opponent's goal line and grounding it there for a score of three points.

Phrasal Verbs:

try on

1. To don (a garment) to test its fit.

2. To test or use experimentally.

try out

1. To undergo a competitive qualifying test, as for a job or athletic team.

2. To test or use experimentally.

Idiom:

try (one's) hand

To attempt to do something for the first time: I tried my hand at skiing.

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[Middle English trien, from Old French trier, to pick out, from Vulgar Latin *trire.]

Usage Note: The phrase try and is commonly used as a substitute for try to, as in Could you try and make less noise? A number of grammarians have labeled the construction incorrect. To be sure, the usage is associated with informal style and strikes an inappropriately conversational note in formal writing. Sixty-five percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use in writing of the sentence Why don't you try and see if you can work the problem out between yourselves?

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try

Verb

[tries, trying, tried]

1. to make an effort or attempt: you must try to understand

2. to sample or test (something) to see how enjoyable, good, or useful it is: I tried smoking once but didn't like it

3. to put strain or stress on (someone's patience)

4. to give pain, affliction, or vexation to: sometimes when I've been sorely tried, my temper gets a little out of hand

5.

a. to investigate (a case) in a court of law

b. to hear evidence in order to determine the guilt or innocence of (a person)

Noun

pl tries

1. an attempt or effort

2. rugby a score made by placing the ball down behind the opposing team's goal line [Old French trier to sort]

USAGE: The use of and instead of to after try is very common, but should be avoided in formal writing: we must try to prevent (not try and prevent) this happening.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	try - 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" attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour batting - (baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base best - the supreme effort one can make; "they did their best" worst - the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of; "it was the worst he had ever done on a test" activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" bid, play - an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention" fling, go, offer, whirl, crack, pass - a usually brief attempt; "he took a crack at it"; "I gave it a whirl" essay - a tentative attempt foray - an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence); "scientists' forays into politics" contribution, share, part - the part played by a person in bringing about a result; "I am proud of my contribution in advancing the project"; "they all did their share of the work" liberation - the attempt to achieve equal rights or status; "she worked for women's liberation" mug's game - a futile or unprofitable endeavor power play, squeeze play, squeeze - an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power; "she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away" seeking - an attempt to acquire or gain something stab, shot - informal words for any attempt or effort; "he gave it his best shot"; "he took a stab at forecasting" shot - an attempt to score in a game nisus, pains, striving, strain - an effortful attempt to attain a goal struggle, battle - an energetic attempt to achieve something; "getting through the crowd was a real struggle"; "he fought a battle for recognition" takeover attempt - an attempt to take control of a corporation trial, run, test - the act of testing something; "in the experimental trials the amount of carbon was measured separately"; "he called each flip of the coin a new trial" trial, test - the act of undergoing testing; "he survived the great test of battle"; "candidates must compete in a trial of skill"
Verb	1.	try - 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, essay, 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" test, try out, try, essay, examine, prove - put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"
	2.	try - 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, essay, 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"
	3.	try - put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of; "The football star was tried for the murder of his wife"; "The judge tried both father and son in separate trials" adjudicate, judge decide, make up one's mind, determine - reach, make, or come to a decision about something; "We finally decided after lengthy deliberations" court-martial - subject to trial by court-martial
	4.	try - take a sample of; "Try these new crackers"; "Sample the regional dishes" sample, taste, try out ingest, consume, have, take in, take - serve oneself to, or consume regularly; "Have another bowl of chicken soup!"; "I don't take sugar in my coffee" degust - taste with relish; "degust this wonderful soup"
	5.	try - examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process; "The jury had heard all the evidence"; "The case will be tried in California" hear probe, examine - question or examine thoroughly and closely rehear, retry - hear or try a court case anew
	6.	try - give pain or trouble to; "I've been sorely tried by these students" anguish, pain, hurt - cause emotional anguish or make miserable; "It pains me to see my children not being taught well in school"
	7.	try - test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!" strain, stress afflict - cause great unhappiness for; distress; "she was afflicted by the death of her parents" rack - stretch to the limits; "rack one's brains"
	8.	try - melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities; "try the yak butter"; "render fat in a casserole" render cookery, cooking, preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife" melt, melt down, run - reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating; "melt butter"; "melt down gold"; "The wax melted in the sun"
	9.	try - put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice; "Try on this sweater to see how it looks" try on don, put on, get into, wear, assume - put clothing on one's body; "What should I wear today?"; "He put on his best suit for the wedding"; "The princess donned a long blue dress"; "The queen assumed the stately robes"; "He got into his jeans"

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try

verb 1. attempt, seek, aim, undertake, essay, strive, struggle, endeavour, have a go, go for it (informal) make an effort, have a shot (informal) have a crack (informal) bend over backwards (informal) do your best, go for broke (slang) make an attempt, move heaven and earth, bust a gut (informal) give it your best shot (informal) have a stab (informal) break your neck (informal) exert yourself, make an all-out effort (informal) knock yourself out (informal) have a whack (informal) do your damnedest (informal) give it your all (informal) rupture yourself (informal)

verb 2. experiment with, try out, put to the test, test, taste, examine, investigate, sample, evaluate, check out, inspect, appraise

verb 3. judge, hear, consider, examine, adjudicate, adjudge, pass judgement on

verb 4. tax, test, trouble, pain, stress, upset, tire, strain, drain, exhaust, annoy, plague, irritate, weary, afflict, sap, inconvenience, wear out, vex, irk, make demands on, give someone grief Brit., S. African

noun 5. attempt, go (informal) shot (informal) effort, crack (informal) essay, stab (informal) bash (informal) endeavour, whack (informal)

try something out test, experiment with, appraise, put to the test, taste, sample, evaluate, check out, inspect, put into practice

Translations

try [traɪ] n → tentativa, intento;

(RUGBY) → ensayo

vt (LAW) → juzgar, procesar (= test) [+ sth new] → probar, someter a prueba (= attempt); intentar (= strain) [+ patience] → hacer perder

vi → probar;

to give sth a try → intentar hacer algo;

to try one's (very) best or hardest → poner todo su empeño, esmerarse;

to try to do sth → intentar hacer algo

try on vt [+ clothes] → probarse

try out vt → probar, poner a prueba

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try [traɪ] n → essai m, tentative f;

(Rugby) → essai

vt (= attempt) → essayer, tenter (= test) [+ sth new] (also: try out) → essayer, tester;

(Law) [+ person]; juger (= strain); éprouver

vi → essayer;

to try to do → essayer de faire (= seek); chercher à faire;

to try one's (very) best or one's (very) hardest → faire de son mieux;

to give sth a try → essayer qch

try on vt [+ clothes] → essayer;

to try it on (fig) → tenter le coup, bluffer

try out vt → essayer, mettre à l'essai

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try [traɪ] n (also Rugby) → Versuch m

vt (= attempt) → versuchen (= test); probieren;

(Law) → vor Gericht stellen (= strain) [+ patience] → auf die Probe stellen

vi → es versuchen;

to have a try → es versuchen, einen Versuch machen;

to try to do sth → versuchen, etw zu tun;

to try one's (very) best or hardest → sein Bestes versuchen or tun

try on try vt [+ clothes] → anprobieren;

she's trying it on try (fig); sie probiert, wie weit sie gehen kann

try out try vt → ausprobieren

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try [traɪ] n → prova, tentativo;

(RUGBY) → meta

vt (LAW) → giudicare (= test) [+ sth new] → provare (= strain) [+ patience, person] → mettere alla prova

vi → provare;

to try to do → provare a fare (= seek); cercare di fare;

to give sth a try → provare qc;

to try one's (very) best or one's (very) hardest → mettercela tutta

try on vt [+ clothes] → provare, mettere alla prova;

to try it on (fig) → cercare di farla

try out vt → provare, mettere alla prova