essay

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. composition; attempt, effort. v. t. endeavor, try, attempt. See dissertation, experiment.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [Expository writing]

Syn. composition, article, piece, theme; see exposition 2 .

2. [An effort]

Syn. trial, attempt, endeavor; see effort 1 , 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. composition article, paper, discourse, treatise, theme, think piece, editorial, exposition, study, thesis. ''A loose sally of the mind.''—Samuel Johnson. see writing

2. try attempt, endeavor, bid, trial, *shot, *whack, venture.

II

v.

try, attempt, endeavor, bid, venture, *take a shot, *take a whack, *take a stab at.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. A relatively brief discourse written especially as an exercise: composition, paper, theme. See WORDS. 2. A procedure that ascertains effectiveness, value, proper function, or other quality: assay, proof, test, trial, tryout. See INVESTIGATE. 3. A trying to do or make something: attempt, crack, effort, endeavor, go, offer, stab, trial, try. Informal: shot. Slang: take. Archaic: assay. See TRY. II verb 1. To make an attempt to do or make: assay, attempt, endeavor, seek, strive, try. Idioms: have a go at, have (or make or take) a shot at, have (or take) a whack at, make a stab at, take a crack at. See TRY. 2. To subject to a procedure that ascertains effectiveness, value, proper function, or other quality: assay, check, examine, prove, test, try, try out. Idioms: bring to the test, make trial of, put to the proof (or test). See INVESTIGATE.