Library / English Dictionary

ATTEMPT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of attacking

Example:

they made an attempt on his life

Synonyms:

attack; attempt

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("attempt" is a kind of...):

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attempt"):

assault (a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

Example:

she gave it a good try

Synonyms:

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("attempt" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attempt"):

test; trial (the act of undergoing testing)

run; test; trial (the act of testing something)

takeover attempt (an attempt to take control of a corporation)

battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)

nisus; pains; strain; striving (an effortful attempt to attain a goal)

shot (an attempt to score in a game)

shot; stab (informal words for any attempt or effort)

seeking (an attempt to acquire or gain something)

power play; squeeze; squeeze play (an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power)

batting ((baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base)

best (the supreme effort one can make)

worst (the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of)

bid; play (an attempt to get something)

crack; fling; go; offer; pass; whirl (a usually brief attempt)

essay (a tentative attempt)

foray (an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence))

contribution; part; share (the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result)

liberation (the attempt to achieve equal rights or status)

mug's game (a futile or unprofitable endeavor)

Derivation:

attempt (make an effort or attempt)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enter upon an activity or enterprise

Synonyms:

attempt; set about; undertake

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "attempt" is one way to...):

initiate; pioneer (take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make an effort or attempt

Example:

She always seeks to do good in the world

Synonyms:

assay; attempt; essay; seek; try

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "attempt" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attempt"):

pick up the gauntlet; take a dare (be dared to do something and attempt it)

fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)

give it a try; have a go (make an attempt at something)

grope (search blindly or uncertainly)

endeavor; endeavour; strive (attempt by employing effort)

give it a try; give it a whirl (try)

adventure; chance; gamble; hazard; risk; run a risk; take a chance; take chances (take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome)

lay on the line; put on the line; risk (expose to a chance of loss or damage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They attempt to move

Derivation:

attempt (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

attempter (one who tries)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Elizabeth was determined; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The mechanism was believed to involve a membrane bound ER but attempts to isolate such a protein have not been successful.

(Pelp1 Estrogen Receptor Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

We attempted to carry him into the cabin, but as soon as he had quitted the fresh air he fainted.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

An activity that attempts to find the best solution to a problem.

(Optimization, NCI Thesaurus)

No attempt is made to affect the outcome (for example, no treatment is given).

(Observational study, NCI Dictionary)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient attempt to hurt or hit others?

(NPI - Attempt to Hurt or Hit Others, NCI Thesaurus)

Any surgery that attempts to preserve nerve function near the surgery site.

(Nerve-sparing surgery, NCI Thesaurus)

Surgery to remove the prostate in which an attempt is made to save the nerves that help cause penile erections.

(Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, NCI Dictionary)

Auditory Verbal Learning Test Version A - The number of words recalled from List A, fifth attempt.

(ADNI AVLT - List A Recall 5 Total, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Auditory Verbal Learning Test Version A (ADNI-AVLT Version A) The number of words recalled from List A, sixth attempt (after List B recall).

(ADNI AVLT - List A Recall 6 (After B) Total, NCI Thesaurus)