Endeavor Definition

ĕn-dĕvər

endeavored, endeavoring, endeavors, endeavour

noun

endeavors

An earnest attempt or effort.

Webster's New World

Purposeful or industrious activity; enterprise.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

endeavored, endeavoring, endeavors

To make an earnest attempt; strive.

To endeavor to finish first.

Webster's New World

To attempt (fulfillment of a responsibility or an obligation, for example) by employment or expenditure of effort.

Endeavored to improve the quality of life in the inner city.

American Heritage

To try to achieve.

Webster's New World

To work with a set or specified goal or purpose.

American Heritage

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

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Endeavor

Singular:

endeavor

Plural:

The verb is from Middle English endeveren (“to make an effort”); the noun is from Middle English endevour, from the verb. Endeveren is from (putten) in dever (“(to put oneself) in duty”), from in + dever (“duty”), partially translating Middle French (se mettre) en devoir (de faire) (“(to make it) one's duty (to do), to endeavour (to do)”) (from Old French devoir, deveir (“duty”)).

From Wiktionary
Middle English endevour from endeveren to make an effort from (putten) in dever (to put oneself) in duty, make it one's duty in in in¹ dever duty (from Old French deveir, devoir duty devoir)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition