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.
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.
3. An assay. See Assay,
n. [Obs.]
Syn. -- Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise;
dissertation; disquisition.
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.
What marvel if I thus essay to
sing?
Byron.
Essaying nothing she can not
perform.
Emerson.
A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should
essay the impossible.
J. C. Shairp.
2. To test the value and purity of (metals);
to assay. See Assay. [Obs.] Locke.
