essaying
present participle of essay
essaying (plural essayings)
An attempt; a try.
The dialogue most sweet
Is a glad mother's converse with her child,
When first he makes his essayings at speech.
Source: Wiktionary
Es"say, n.; pl. Essays. Etym: [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." M. Arnold.
2. (Lit.)
Definition: 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.]
Syn.
– Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition.
Es*say", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Essaying.] Etym: [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 Byron. Essaying nothing she can not perform. Emerson. A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible. J. C. Shairp.
2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay. [Obs.] Locke.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
10 May 2025
(verb) declare (a dead person) to be blessed; the first step of achieving sainthood; “On Sunday, the martyr will be beatified by the Vatican”
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