Dictionary Home » The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms » try one's hand

try one's hand

try one's hand idiom

Attempt to do something for the first time, as in I thought I'd try my hand at snorkeling. This idiom uses try in the sense of “ascertain by experiment or effort,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.
Also, try one's luck. Take a chance doing something, as in We thought we'd try our luck at getting a hotel room at the last minute.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.