Essay

Essay
Essay Es"say, n.; pl. {Essays}. [F. essai, fr. L. exagium a weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf. examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, Gr. 'exa`gion a weight, 'exagia`zein to examine, 'exa`gein to drive out, export. See {Agent}, and cf. {Exact}, {Examine}, {Assay}.] 1. An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend. ``The essay at organization.'' --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]

2. (Lit.) A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce. [1913 Webster]

3. An assay. See {Assay}, n. [Obs.]

Syn: Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • essay — ESSAY. s. m. Espreuve qu on fait de quelque chose. Faire essay, un essay. faire l essay de la monnoye. faire l essay d une machine. cette drogue est trop violente, il est dangereux d en faire l essay. donner à l essay. prendre à l essay. faire l… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • essay — Essay, m. acut. Est une tentatoire, qui est espreuve de ce qui est à faire, Periculi factio, Tentamentum, L apprenty fait son essay, Suae industriae tyro facit periculum, Selon ce on dit, Faire son coup d essay, Aliqua in re quid de suo ingenio,… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Essay — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Essay País …   Wikipedia Español

  • Essay — Smn Abhandlung, Aufsatz erw. fach. (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus ne. essay, dieses aus afrz. essai, eigentlich Probe, Versuch , aus l. exagium n. das Wägen , einer postverbalen Ableitung von l. exigere (exāctum) abwägen, beurteilen , zu l.… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • essay — vb endeavor, strive, struggle, *attempt, try Analogous words: work, labor, toil, travail (see corresponding nouns at WORK) essay n 1 endeavor, striving, struggle, attempt, try (see under ATTEMPT vb) Analogous words: *effort, exertion, trouble,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Essay — Es*say , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Essayed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Essaying}.] [F. essayer. See {Essay}, n.] 1. To exert one s power or faculties upon; to make an effort to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or trial of; to try. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • essay — [n1] written discourse article, composition, discussion, disquisition, dissertation, explication, exposition, manuscript, paper, piece, study, theme, thesis, tract, treatise; concept 271 essay [n2] try, attempt aim, bid, dry run*, effort,… …   New thesaurus

  • Essay — Essay,derod.das:⇨Abhandlung(1) Essay→Aufsatz …   Das Wörterbuch der Synonyme

  • Essay — »Abhandlung, die eine literarische oder wissenschaftliche Frage in knapper und anspruchsvoller Form behandelt«: Das Fremdwort wurde in der 2. Hälfte des 19. Jh.s aus gleichbed. engl. essay entlehnt, das aus frz. essai »Versuch, Abhandlung« stammt …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

  • Essay — (engl., spr. Essäh), so v.w. Essai; bes. Essays, in der Englischen Literatur kürzere Aufsätze, worin die Ergebnisse der philosophischen Doctrinen popularisirt u. zur Belehrung u. Geschmackbildung in Zeit u. Wochenschriften mitgetheilt werden. Die …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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