TRY (tried)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does try mean? 

• TRY (noun)
  The noun TRY has 1 sense:

1. earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

  Familiarity information: TRY used as a noun is very rare.

• TRY (verb)
  The verb TRY has 9 senses:

1. make an effort or attempt

2. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

3. put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of

4. take a sample of

5. examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process

6. give pain or trouble to

7. test the limits of

8. melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities

9. put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice

  Familiarity information: TRY used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try

Context example:

she gave it a good try

Hypernyms ("try" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "try"):

best (the supreme effort one can make)

test; trial (the act of undergoing testing)

run; test; trial (the act of testing something)

takeover attempt (an attempt to take control of a corporation)

battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)

nisus; pains; strain; striving (an effortful attempt to attain a goal)

shot (an attempt to score in a game)

shot; stab (informal words for any attempt or effort)

seeking (an attempt to acquire or gain something)

power play; squeeze; squeeze play (an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power)

liberation (the attempt to achieve equal rights or status)

contribution; part; share (the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result)

foray (an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence))

essay (a tentative attempt)

crack; fling; go; offer; pass; whirl (a usually brief attempt)

bid; play (an attempt to get something)

worst (the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of)

batting ((baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base)

mug's game (a futile or unprofitable endeavor)

Derivation:

try (make an effort or attempt)

• TRY (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make an effort or attempt

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

assay; attempt; essay; seek; try

Context example:

She always seeks to do good in the world

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

pick up the gauntlet; take a dare (be dared to do something and attempt it)

fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)

give it a try; have a go (make an attempt at something)

grope (search blindly or uncertainly)

endeavor; endeavour; strive (attempt by employing effort)

give it a try; give it a whirl (try)

adventure; chance; gamble; hazard; risk; run a risk; take a chance; take chances (take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome)

lay on the line; put on the line; risk (expose to a chance of loss or damage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They try to move

Also:

try out (put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to)

Derivation:

trier (one who tries)

try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

essay; examine; prove; test; try; try out

Context example:

Test this recipe

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

control; verify (check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard)

float (circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with)

field-test (test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

trial (the act of undergoing testing)

trier (one who tries)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put on trial or hear a case and sit as the judge at the trial of

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

adjudicate; judge; try

Context example:

The judge tried both father and son in separate trials

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

decide; determine; make up one's mind (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

court-martial (subject to trial by court-martial)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to try the prisoners

Derivation:

trial ((law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law)

trier (one (as a judge) who examines and settles a case)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take a sample of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

sample; taste; try; try out

Context example:

Sample the regional dishes

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

degust (taste with relish)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They try more bread

Derivation:

trial (trying something to find out about it)

trier (one who tries)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

hear; try

Context example:

The case will be tried in California

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

examine; probe (question or examine thoroughly and closely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

rehear; retry (hear or try a court case anew)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

trier (one (as a judge) who examines and settles a case)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Give pain or trouble to

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

I've been sorely tried by these students

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

anguish; hurt; pain (cause emotional anguish or make miserable)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot try Sue

Derivation:

trial (an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Test the limits of

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

strain; stress; try

Context example:

You are trying my patience!

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

afflict (cause great unhappiness for; distress)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "try"):

rack (stretch to the limits)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

render; try

Context example:

render fat in a casserole

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

melt; melt down; run (reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

try; try on

Context example:

Try on this sweater to see how it looks

Hypernyms (to "try" is one way to...):

assume; don; get into; put on; wear (put clothing on one's body)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They try the cape

 Context examples 

“Kindly summon your men, and I will try.”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“No doubt she will be very glad. It must be a great relief to her,” said Fanny, trying for greater warmth of manner.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

You might want to try non-chemical methods first.

(Pesticides, Environmental Protection Agency)

They may try to get help because of their problems with relationships and work.

(Personality Disorders, NIH)

"Let me try it first," said the Scarecrow, "for it doesn't hurt me to get thrown about."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

But she will be tried today, and you will then hear all.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

I tried to make it keep time with the story itself, which was only superficial after all.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I came next, and tried hard not to look down into the horrible gulf over which I was passing.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He tried it again, with the same result.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Looking out into the distance - instead of trying to read or look at something in the vehicle - can also help.

(Motion Sickness, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)