Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » try

try

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

Try is defined as to test, to make an attempt, or to determine the legal guilt or innocence.

(verb)

An example of to try is to do everything possible to be at a graduation party.

The definition of a try is an attempt or effort.

(noun)

An example of a try is a team's bid at the championship.

See try in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb tried, trying

Obsolete to separate; set apart
: usually with out
1. to melt or render (fat, etc.) to get (the oil)
2. to extract or refine (metal, etc.) by heating
Now Rare to settle (a matter, quarrel, etc.) by a test or contest; fight out
1. to examine and decide (a case) in a law court
2. to determine legally the guilt or innocence of (a person)
3. to preside as judge at the trial of (a case or person)
to put to the proof; test
to subject to trials, annoyance, etc.; afflict: Job was sorely tried
to subject to a severe test or strain: rigors that try one's stamina
to test the operation or effect of; experiment with; make a trial of: to try a new recipe
to attempt to find out or determine by experiment or effort: to try one's fortune in another city
to make an effort at; attempt; endeavor: followed by an infinitive [try to remember] or, informally, by and used in place of to as the sign of the infinitive [try and remember]
to attempt to open (a door or window) in testing to see whether it is locked
Obsolete to find to be so by test or experience; prove

Origin: ME trien < OFr trier < ? VL *tritare, to cull out, grind < L tritus, pp. of terere, to rub, thresh grain: see trite

intransitive verb

to make an effort, attempt, or endeavor
to make an experiment

noun pl. tries

the act or an instance of trying; attempt; effort; trial
Rugby a scoring play in which the ball is grounded on or behind the opponent's goal line

See try in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb tried tried (trīd), try·ing, tries tries (trīz)

verb, transitive

To make an effort to do or accomplish (something); attempt: tried to ski.
To taste, sample, or otherwise test in order to determine strength, effect, worth, or desirability: Try this casserole. Try the door.
Law
a. To examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process.
b. To put (an accused person) on trial.
To subject to great strain or hardship; tax: The last steep ascent tried my every muscle.
To melt (lard, for example) to separate out impurities; render.
To smooth, fit, or align accurately.

verb, intransitive

To make an effort; strive.

noun pl. tries tries (trīz)

An attempt; an effort.
Sports In Rugby, an act of advancing the ball past the opponent's goal line and grounding it there for a score of three points.

Phrasal Verbs: try on To don (a garment) to test its fit. To test or use experimentally. try out To undergo a competitive qualifying test, as for a job or athletic team. To test or use experimentally.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English trien

Origin: , from Old French trier, to pick out

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *triāre

Usage Note: The phrase try and is commonly used as a substitute for try to, as in Could you try and make less noise? A number of grammarians have labeled the construction incorrect. To be sure, the usage is associated with informal style and strikes an inappropriately conversational note in formal writing. Sixty-five percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use in writing of the sentence Why don't you try and see if you can work the problem out between yourselves?

Learn more about try

try synonyms

try legal definition

Try medical definition

try phrase meanings

try in a sentence

try quotes

link/cite print suggestion box