essay

/ˈe-ˌsā/

Middle French essai, ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive

noun

  1. an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view

  2. something resembling such a composition

  3. effort, attempt; especially : an initial tentative effort

a photographic essay

verb

  1. to make an often tentative or experimental effort to perform : try

  2. to put to a test

attempt try endeavor essay strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end. attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort. try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

noun

  1. an examination question that requires an answer in a sentence, paragraph, or short composition