Definition of Essay

Babylon English
essay
n. attempt, endeavor; composition, article
v. attempt; test, experiment

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ESSAY definition was found in categories: Language, Idioms & Slang(5)  Arts & Humanities(2)  Encyclopedia(1)  

ESSAY Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Essay
(n.)
To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay.
  
(n.)
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.
  
(n.)
An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend.
  
(n.)
An assay. See Assay, n.
  
(n.)
A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
  

WordNet 2.0
essay

Noun
1. an analytic or interpretive literary composition
(hypernym) writing, written material, piece of writing
(hyponym) composition, paper, report, theme
2. a tentative attempt
(hypernym) attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try
(derivation) try, seek, attempt, assay

Verb
1. 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"
(synonym) try, seek, attempt, assay
(hypernym) act, move
(hyponym) take a dare, pick up the gauntlet
2. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"
(synonym) test, prove, try, try out, examine
(hypernym) judge
(hyponym) control, verify

hEnglish - advanced version
essay

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? essaying nothing she can not perform. a danger lest the young enthusiast should essay the impossible. c. shairp.
2. to test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. see assay. [obs.]
essay
\es"say\ (?), n.; pl. essays (#). [f. essai, fr. l. exagium a weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf. examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, gr. 'exa`gion a weight, 'exagia`zein to examine, 'exa`gein to drive out, export. see agent, and cf. exact, examine, assay.] 1. an effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend. "the essay at organization." arnold.
2. (lit.) a composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
3. an assay. see assay, n. [obs.]


  similar words(1) 




 to exibit an essay 

Concise English-Irish Dictionary v. 1.1
essay
n., tráchtas
v., beir iarracht fá

JM Welsh <=> English Dictionary
Osiad
Osiad = n. a making an essay

Osio
Osio = v. to offer to do, to essay

Praw
Praw, Prawf, profion = n. an essay, a trial, a proof

Prawen
Prawen = n. an essay; a cast in play

Profiad
Profiad = n. a proving; a probation; a tasting; an essay


ESSAY Definition from Arts & Humanities Dictionaries & Glossaries

Glossary of Stamp Collecting Terms
ESSAY
Rejected and unused stamp design.

English-Latin Online Dictionary
essay
rudimentum


ESSAY Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries

Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing, usually from an author's personal point of view. Essays are non-fictional but often subjective; while expository, they can also include narrative. Essays can be literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author.

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