Word
attempt
Phoneticsat·tempt
US/əˈtɛmpt/
UK/ɐtˈɛmpt/
Definitions
01to try
v. to try to do something, especially when it is difficult or you are not sure you will succeed.
v. to make an effort to achieve or complete a task, typically one that is challenging. Transitive — usually followed by a to-infinitive or a direct object.
“He will attempt to break the world record during the race tomorrow.”
“The rescue team will attempt to reach the stranded climbers once the blizzard subsides and visibility improves.”
Usage
Commonly followed by a 'to' infinitive: 'attempt to do something'.
02an effort
n. an act of trying to do something.
n. the act of trying to perform a task or achieve a goal.
“This was her second attempt at passing the driving test.”
“Despite a valiant attempt to secure the funding, the start-up was forced to downsize its operations.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'at' or followed by a 'to' infinitive.
03an attack
n. an act of trying to kill someone or hurt them.
n. an unsuccessful effort to commit a violent act, particularly an assassination or a physical assault.
“The president survived an assassination attempt early this morning.”
“Security forces were praised for thwarting an attempt on the prime minister's life during the public parade.”
Formal
Real-World Examples
“Jones’s face encroached on C’s, but with his hands full, the driver could only drop his head, putting his chin to his neck in an attempt to avoid his employer, the witness said.” “This is the latest attempt to change the US childhood vaccine schedule.” “Our attempts to get away from it all can often lead us right back to what we left home to avoid.” “But these aren’t ghosts; they are attempts by the ocean-being to communicate with the visitors by reading their minds and adopting the shapes it finds there.” Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin temptō Latin attemptōder. Old French atempterbor. Middle English attempten English attempt Late 14th century, as Middle English attempten, from Old French atempter, from Latin attemptō (“to try, solicit”), from ad- (“to”) + temptō; see tempt. The noun is from the 1530s, the sense "an assault on somebody's life, assassination attempt" (French attentat) is from 1580.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/attempt