Princeton's WordNet(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. attempt, effort, endeavor, endeavour, try(noun)

   earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

   "made an effort to cover all the reading material"; "wished him luck in his endeavor"; "she gave it a good try"

2. attack, attempt(verb)

   the act of attacking

   "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"

3. try, seek, attempt, essay, assay(verb)

   make an effort or attempt

   "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world"

4. undertake, set about, attempt(verb)

   enter upon an activity or enterprise

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. attempt(Noun)

   The action of trying at something.

2. attempt(Noun)

   An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt.

3. attempt(Verb)

   To try.

Origin: Late 14th century, from atempter, from attempto, from ad + temptare, more correctly tentare; see tempt.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Attempt(verb)

   to make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor to do or perform (some action); to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight

2. Attempt(verb)

   to try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt

3. Attempt(verb)

   to try to win, subdue, or overcome; as, one who attempts the virtue of a woman

4. Attempt(verb)

   to attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force; as, to attempt the enemy's camp

5. Attempt(verb)

   to make an attempt; -- with upon

6. Attempt(noun)

   a essay, trial, or endeavor; an undertaking; an attack, or an effort to gain a point; esp. an unsuccessful, as contrasted with a successful, effort

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Attempt

   Attempt in criminal law is an offense that occurs when a person comes dangerously close to carrying out a criminal act, and intends to commit the act, but does not in fact commit it. The person may have carried out all the necessary steps but still failed, or the attempt may have been abandoned or prevented at a late stage. The attempt must have gone beyond mere planning or preparation, and is distinct from other Inchoate offenses such as conspiracy to commit a crime or solicitation of a crime. There are many specific crimes of attempt, such as attempted murder, which may vary by jurisdiction. Punishment is often less severe than would be the case if the attempted crime had been carried out. Abandonment of the attempt may constitute a not guilty defence, depending partly on the extent to which the attempt was abandoned freely and voluntarily. Early common law did not punish attempts; the law of attempt was not recognised by common law until the case of b. Rex v. Scofield in 1784. The essence of the crime of attempt in legal terms is that the defendant has failed to commit the actus reus of the full offense, but has the direct and specific intent to commit that full offense.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Attempt

   at-temt′, v.t. to try or endeavour: to try to obtain: tempt, entice: to make an effort or attack upon.—v.i. to make an attempt or trial.—n. a trial: endeavour or effort: a personal assault: (Milton) temptation: (law) any act which can fairly be described as one of a series which, if uninterrupted and successful, would constitute a crime.—n. Attemptabil′ity.—adj. Attempt′able, that may be attempted.—n. Attempt′er (Milton), a tempter. [O. Fr. atempter—L. attentāre—ad, and tem-pt, tentāre, to try—tendĕre, to stretch.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'attempt' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1111

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'attempt' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3264

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'attempt' in Nouns Frequency: #314

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'attempt' in Verbs Frequency: #262

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of attempt in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of attempt in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of attempt in a Sentence

1. Tim Kane:

   If Trump were to do that, or attempt it.

2. William Shakespeare:

   The attempt and not the deed Confounds us.

3. William Shakespeare, "Macbeth", Act 2 scene 2:

   The attempt and not the deed Confounds us.

4. Seamus Hughes:

   It could be a concerted attempt to deceive.

5. The Defense Ministry:

   Any such attempt will be strictly prevented.

Images & Illustrations of attempt

Popularity rank by frequency of use