essay

ジャック・ロンドンのWhite Fangに以前（11/1/2008）取り上げた単語がまた出て来ました。
It was by sheer blundering that he chanced upon the shrewdly hidden ptarmigen nest. He fell into it. He had essayed to walk along the trunk of a fallen pine. The rotten bark gave way under his feet, and with a despairing yelp he pitched down the rounded descent, smashed through the leafage and stalks of a small bush, and in the heart of the bush, on the ground, fetched up in the midst of seven ptarmigan chicks.
"essayed" がその単語ですが、今日はVocabulary.comの解説を引用します。
As a noun, an essay is also an attempt, especially a tentative initial one. Your essay to make friends at your new school would probably work better if you actually spoke to other students. As a verb, to essay is to make an attempt. If you essay to run for student council, you might lose to the girl who promises more recess, longer lunches, and less homework.