Try

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Try, v. t. [OE. trien to select, pick out, F. trier to cull, to out, LL. tritare to triturate (hence the sense of, to thresh, to separate the grain from the straw, to select), L. terere, tritum, to rub, bruise, grind, thresh. See Trite.].

•  To divide or separate, as one sort from another; to winnow; to sift; to pick out; -- frequently followed by out; as, to try out the wild corn from the good.  Sir T. Elyot.  [1913 Webster]
•  To purify or refine, as metals; to melt out, and procure in a pure state, as oil, tallow, lard, etc.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."  [1913 Webster]

  "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried."  [1913 Webster]
•  To prove by experiment; to apply a test to, for the purpose of determining the quality; to examine; to prove; to test; as, to try weights or measures by a standard; to try a man's opinions.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let the end try the man."  [1913 Webster]
•  To subject to severe trial; to put to the test; to cause suffering or trouble to.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased."  [1913 Webster]

  "These are the times that try men's souls."  [PJC]
•  To experiment with; to test by use; as, to try a remedy for disease; to try a horse.  [1913 Webster]

  "Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me."  [1913 Webster]

  "To ease her cares the force of sleep she tries."  [1913 Webster]
•  To strain; to subject to excessive tests; as, the light tries his eyes; repeated disappointments try one's patience.  [1913 Webster]
•  To examine or investigate judicially; to examine by witnesses or other judicial evidence and the principles of law; as, to try a cause, or a criminal.  [1913 Webster]
•  To settle; to decide; to determine; specifically, to decide by an appeal to arms; as, to try rival claims by a duel; to try conclusions.  [1913 Webster]

  "Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried."  [1913 Webster]
•  To experience; to have or gain knowledge of by experience.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

  "Or try the Libyan heat or Scythian cold."  [1913 Webster]
•  To essay; to attempt; to endeavor.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let us try . . . to found a path."  [1913 Webster]

  "He first deceased: she for a little tried
  To live without him; liked it not, and died."  [1913 Webster]

  "Alack, I am afraid they have a waked,
  And 't is not done. The attempt, and not the deed,
  Confounds us."  [1913 Webster]

To try on. (a) To put on, as a garment, to ascertain whether it fits the person. (b) To attempt; to undertake. [Slang] Dickens.

Syn. -- To attempt; endeavor; strive; aim; examine.

Try, v. i. 

•  To exert strength; to endeavor; to make an effort or an attempt; as, you must try hard if you wish to learn.  [1913 Webster]
•  To do; to fare; as, how do you try!  [1913 Webster]

Try, n. 

•  A screen, or sieve, for grain.  Holland.  [1913 Webster]
•  Act of trying; attempt; experiment; trial.  [1913 Webster]

  "This breaking of his has been but a try for his friends."  [1913 Webster]
•  In Rugby and Northern Union football, a score (counting three points) made by grounding the ball on or behind the opponent's goal line; -- so called because it entitles the side making it to a place kick for a goal (counting two points more if successful).  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Try, a. [Cf. Try, v. t.].

 Refined; select; excellent; choice.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Try, v. & n.
--v. (-ies, -ied)
1 intr. make an effort with a view to success (often foll. by to + infin.; colloq. foll. by and + infin.: tried to be on time; try and be early; I shall try hard).

Idiom

try conclusions with see CONCLUSION. try a fall with contend with. try for size try out or test for suitability. try one's hand see how skilful one is, esp. at the first attempt. trying-plane a plane used in trying (see sense
11 of v.).
try it on colloq.
1 test another's patience.
2 attempt to outwit or deceive another person. try on put on (clothes etc.) to see if they fit or suit the wearer. try-on n. Brit.
colloq.
1 an act of trying it on.
2 an attempt to fool or deceive.
try out
1 put to the test.
2 test thoroughly. try-out n. an experimental test of efficiency, popularity, etc. try-sail a small strong fore-and-aft sail set on the mainmast or other mast of a sailing-vessel in heavy weather. try-square a carpenter's square, usu. with one wooden and one metal limb.

Usage

Use with and is uncommon in the past tense and in negative contexts (except in imper.).
2 tr. make an effort to achieve (tried my best; had better try something easier).
3 tr. a test (the quality of a thing) by use or experiment. b test the qualities of (a person or thing) (try it before you buy).
4 tr. make severe demands on (a person, quality, etc.) (my patience has been sorely tried).
5 tr. examine the effectiveness or usefulness of for a purpose (try cold water; try the off-licence; have you tried kicking it?).
6 tr. ascertain the state of fastening of (a door, window, etc.).
7 tr. a investigate and decide (a case or issue) judicially. b subject (a person) to trial (will be tried for murder).
8 tr. make an experiment in order to find out (let us try which takes longest).
9 intr. (foll. by for) a apply or compete for. b seek to reach or attain (am going to try for a gold medal).
10 tr. (often foll. by out) a extract (oil) from fat by heating. b treat (fat) in this way.
11 tr. (often foll. by up) smooth (roughly-planed wood) with a plane to give an accurately flat surface.
--n. (pl. -ies)
1 an effort to accomplish something; an attempt (give it a try).
2 Rugby Football the act of touching the ball down behind the opposing goal-line, scoring points and entitling the scoring side to a kick at goal.
3 Amer. Football an attempt to score an extra point in various ways after a touchdown.

Etymology

ME, = separate, distinguish, etc., f. OF trier sift, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

Try

acid test, agonize, aim, annoy, appraise, approach, arbitrate, aspire, assay, attempt, bear hard upon, bid, bid for, blank determination, bolt, bother, bring to test, brouillon, burden, chance, charge the jury, check, clarify, clear, conduct a trial, confirm, contend for, crack, criterion, crucial test, crucible, crucify, cut and try, dab, decrassify, demonstrate, depurate, determination, distill, distress, docimasy, edulcorate, effort, elute, endeavor, engage, essay, essentialize, examine, excruciate, experiment, extract, feeling out, filter, filtrate, first draft, fling, gambit, give a try, give a tryout, go, go hard with, go ill with, harass, harrow, hassle, have a go, hear, hold court, hold the scales, hope, inspect, irk, jab, judge, kiteflying, leach, lick, lie on, lift a finger, lixiviate, load, make an attempt, make an effort, martyr, move, offer, officiate, oppress, ordeal, overburden, overload, pain, percolate, play around with, pop, practice upon, probation, proof, prove, pull for, purify, put to trial, rack, rectify, referee, refine, research, road-test, rough draft, rough sketch, run a sample, sample, screen, scrutinize, seek, separate, shake down, shot, sieve, sift, sit in judgment, slap, sounding out, spiritualize, stab, stagger, standard, step, strain, strain for, stress, strike, strive, strive for, striving, stroke, strong bid, struggle, struggle for, sublimate, sublime, substantiate, taste, tentative, test, test case, torment, torture, touchstone, trial, trial and error, trouble, try a case, try for, try it on, try one, try out, umpire, undertake, undertaking, validate, venture, venture on, venture upon, verification, verify, vex, weigh, weigh down, weigh heavy on, weigh on, weigh upon, whack, whirl, winnow, wring

ROGET THESAURUS

Try

Essay

VB try, essay, experiment, endeavor, strive, tempt, attempt, make an attempt, venture, adventure, speculate, take one's chance, tempt fortune, try one's fortune, try one's luck, try one's hand, use one's endeavor, feel one's way, grope one's way, pick one's way, try hard, push, make a bold push, use one's best endeavor, do one's best.

Use

VB use, make use of, employ, put to use, put in action, put in operation, put in practice, set in motion, set to work, ply, work, wield, handle, manipulate, play, play off, exert, exercise, practice, avail oneself of, profit by, resort to, have recourse to, recur to, take betake oneself to, take up with, take advantage of, lay one's hands on, try, render useful, mold, turn to account, turn to use, convert to use, utilize, work up, call into play, bring into play, put into requisition, call forth, draw forth, press into service, enlist into the service, bring to bear upon, devote, dedicate, consecrate, apply, adhibit, dispose of, make a handle of, make a cat's-paw of, fall back upon, make a shift with, make the most of, make the best of, use up, swallow up, consume, absorb, expend, tax, task, wear, put to task.

Lawsuit

VB go to law, appeal to the law, bring to justice, bring to trial, bring to the bar, put on trial, pull up, accuse, prefer a claim, file a claim, take the law of, inform against, serve with a writ, cite, apprehend, arraign, sue, prosecute, bring an action against, indict, impeach, attach, distrain, commit, arrest, summon, summons, give in charge, empanel a jury, implead, join issue, close the pleadings, set down for hearing, try, hear a cause, sit in judgment, adjudicate.

Experiment

VB experiment, essay, try, try out, assay, make an experiment, make a trial of, give a trial to, put on trial, subject to trial, experiment upon, rehearse, put to the test, bring to the test, submit to the test, submit to the proof, prove, verify, test, touch, practice upon, try one's strength, road-test, test drive, take for a spin, test fly, grope, feel one's way, grope for one's way, fumble, t=atonner, aller =a t=atons, put out a feeler, throw out a feeler, send up a trial balloon, send up a pilot balloon, see how the land lies, get the lay of the land, test the waters, feel out, sound out, take the pulse, see, check, check out, see how the wind blows, consult the barometer, feel the pulse, fish for, bob for, cast for, beat about for, angle, trawl, cast one's net, beat the bushes, try one's fortune, explore.

Judgment

VB judge, conclude, come to a conclusion, draw a conclusion, arrive at a conclusion, ascertain, determine, make up one's mind, deduce, derive, gather, collect, draw an inference, make a deduction, weet, ween, form an estimate, estimate, appreciate, value, count, assess, rate, rank, account, regard, consider, think of, look upon, review, size up, settle, pass an opinion, give an opinion, decide, try, pronounce, rule, pass judgment, pass sentence, sentence, doom, find, give judgment, deliver judgment, adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, award, report, bring in a verdict, make absolute, set a question at rest, confirm, comment, criticize, kibitz, pass under review, investigate, hold the scales, sit in judgment, try judgment, hear a cause.