ENDEAVOR

attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try

(noun) 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”

enterprise, endeavor, endeavour

(noun) a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness); “he had doubts about the whole enterprise”

endeavor, endeavour, strive

(verb) attempt by employing effort; “we endeavor to make our customers happy”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

endeavor (plural endeavors) (American spelling)

A sincere attempt; a determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal; assiduous or persistent activity.

Verb

endeavor (third-person singular simple present endeavors, present participle endeavoring, simple past and past participle endeavored) (American spelling)

(obsolete) To exert oneself. [15th-17th c.]

(intransitive) To attempt through application of effort (to do something); to try strenuously. [from 16th c.]

(obsolete, transitive) To attempt (something). [16th-17th c.]

To work with purpose.

Synonyms

• strive

Anagrams

• do a never

Source: Wiktionary

En*deav"or, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Endeavored; p. pr. & vb. n. Endeavoring.] Etym: [OE. endevor; pref. en- + dever, devoir, duty, F. devoir: cf. F. se mettre en devoir de faire quelque chose to try to do a thing, to go about it. See Devoir, Debt.] [Written also endeavour.]

Definition: To exert physical or intellectual strength for the attainment of; to use efforts to effect; to strive to achieve or reach; to try; to attempt. It is our duty to endeavor the recovery of these beneficial subjects. Ld. Chatham. To endeavor one's self, to exert one's self strenuously to the fulfillment of a duty. [Obs.] "A just man that endeavoreth himself to leave all wickedness." Latimer.

En*deav"or, v. i.

Definition: To exert one's self; to work for a certain end. And such were praised who but endeavored well. Pope.

Note: Usually with an infinitive; as, to endeavor to outstrip an antagonist. He had . . . endeavored earnestly to do his duty. Prescott.

Syn.

– To attempt; try; strive; struggle; essay; aim; seek.

En*deav"or, n. Etym: [Written also endeavour.]

Definition: An exertion of physical or intellectual strength toward the attainment of an object; a systematic or continuous attempt; an effort; a trial. To employ all my endeavor to obey you. Sir P. Sidney. To do one's endeavor, to do one's duty; to put forth strenuous efforts to attain an object; -- a phrase derived from the Middle English phrase "to do one's dever" (duty). "Mr. Prynne proceeded to show he had done endeavor to prepare his answer." Fuller.

Syn.

– Essay; trial; effort; exertion. See Attempt.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition