General Essay Writing

to put to a test
2
: to make an often tentative or experimental effort to perform : try
— es·say·er noun
Examples of ESSAY

There is no hint as to which of the approaches essayed in this book will prove most useful.

First Known Use of ESSAY

14th century
Related to ESSAY

Synonyms assay, endeavor, attempt, seek, strive, try
Related Words fight, strain, struggle, toil, trouble, work; aim, aspire, hope; assume, take up, undertake
Near Antonyms drop, give up, quit more See Synonym Discussion at attempt
Rhymes with ESSAY

abbé, affray, agley, airplay, airway, aisleway, all-day, allay, allée, Angers, Anhui, archway, array, ashtray, assay, astray, Augier, away...
[+]more
2es·say noun \ˈe-ˌsā; senses 1, 2 & 4 also e-ˈsā\
: a short piece of writing that tells a person's thoughts or opinions about a subject
Full Definition of ESSAY

1
: trial, test
2
a : effort, attempt; especially : an initial tentative effort b : the result or product of an attempt
3
a : an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view b : something resembling such a composition
4
: a proof of an unaccepted design for a stamp or piece of paper money See essay defined for English-language learners »
Examples of ESSAY

Your assignment is to write a 500-word essay on one of Shakespeare's sonnets.
The book is a collection of his previously unpublished essays on a variety of topics.
Origin of ESSAY

Middle French essai, ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to ESSAY

Synonyms article, composition, paper, theme
Related Words causerie; column, commentary, editorial, feature, report, review, write-up; dissertation, thesis; tract, treatise; discourse, discussion, exposition, prolegomenon, study more essay noun (Concise Encyclopedia)
Analytic, interpretative, or critical