try

try

I.   verb

I. try1 S1 W1 /traɪ/ verb (past tense and past participle tried, present participle trying, third person singular tries)
  [Word Family: adjective: trying, untried; verb: try; noun: try]
 [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: trier 'to pick out, sift', probably from Late Latin tritare 'to rub to pieces', from Latin terere 'to rub']
 1. ATTEMPT  [intransitive and transitive] to take action in order to do something that you may not be able to do:
   • Let’s have a rest and then we’ll try again.
  try to do something
   • He tried to control his voice.
   • She was trying not to cry.
  try and do something
   • Try and take some form of daily exercise.
  try hard/desperately (to do something) (=make a lot of effort to do something)
   • She dabbed at her face and tried hard not to sniff.
   • I tried everything to lose weight with no success.
  try your best/hardest (to do something) (=make as much effort as possible to do something)
   • I tried my best to comfort her.
   • I tried and tried (=kept making an effort) and eventually I was offered a job.
   • Try as he might (=as hard as he could), he could not get the incident out of his mind.
  it wasn’t for lack/want of trying (=used to say that if someone does not achieve something it is not because they have not tried)
   • They didn’t get any goals, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying.
  you couldn’t do something if you tried (=used to say that someone does not have the skill or ability to do something)
   • She couldn’t speak French if she tried.
 2. TEST/USE  [transitive] to do or use something for a short while to discover if it is suitable, successful, enjoyable etc:
   • It works really well – you should try it.
  try doing something
   • They decided they would try living in America for a while.
   • Try logging off and logging on again.
  try something new/different (=do or use something that is different from what you usually do or use)
   • If I'm going out for a meal, I prefer to try something different.
  try something on somebody/something
   • We tried the machine on hardwood and soft wood.
  try somebody on something
   • Petra’s trying the baby on solid foods.
  try something for size (=put on a piece of clothing or test something to find out if it is the correct size or suitable)
   • Always try a sleeping bag for size before you buy it.
  GRAMMAR
   If you try to do something, you attempt to succeed in doing it:
   ▪ • We must try to prevent this happening.
   If you try doing something, you do it in order to find out if it is enjoyable or produces the result you want:
   ▪ • Try using margarine instead of butter.
 3. FOOD/DRINK  [transitive] to taste food or drink to find out if you like it SYN taste:
   • Would you like to try some crisps?
 4. TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY/SOMETHING  [intransitive and transitive] to go to a place or person, or call them, in order to find something or someone:
   • Sorry, he’s not in. Would you like to try again later?
   • Let’s try Mouncy Street. He could be there.
 5. DOOR/WINDOW  [transitive] to attempt to open a door, window etc in order to see if it is locked:
   • She tried the door and it opened.
   • He tried the handle but the door was locked.
 6. LAW  [transitive usually passive] to examine and judge a legal case, or someone who is thought to be guilty of a crime in a court ⇨ trial
  be tried for something
   • He was tried for attempting to murder his wife.
   • The defence argued that a regional court was not competent to try their case.
 7. try sb’s patience to make someone feel impatient ⇨ trying:
   • The programs take too long to load and try the patience of young pupils.
 8. try your hand at something to try a new activity in order to see whether it interests you or whether you are good at it:
   • I tried my hand at water-skiing for the first time.
 9. try your luck to try to achieve something or get something you want, usually by taking a risk:
   • After the war my father went to Canada to try his luck at farming.
 10. try it on (with somebody) British English spoken
   a) to behave badly in order to find out how bad you can be before people become angry:
   • She is naughty, that one. She tries it on with me sometimes!
   b) to attempt to start a sexual relationship with someone:
   • When I came back in, one of the men was trying it on with my wife!
     • • •

COLLOCATIONS■ adverbs

   ▪ hard • She was trying hard not to show her impatience.
   ▪ desperately • They try desperately to please other people.
   ▪ unsuccessfully/in vain • He has tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking.
   ▪ try your best/hardest (=make as much effort as possible) • Try your best to block out other distractions.
     • • •

THESAURUS

   ▪ try to take action in order to do something that you may not be able to do: • I tried to explain what was wrong. | • He tries hard in class, but he’s finding the work difficult.
   ▪ attempt to try to do something, especially something difficult. Attempt is more formal than try and is used especially in written English: • Any prisoner who attempts to escape will be shot. | • He was attempting to climb one of the world’s highest mountains.
   ▪ do your best to try as hard as you can to do something: • We will do our best to help them.
   ▪ make an effort to do something to try to do something, when you find this difficult: • It is worth making an effort to master these skills. | • She made a big effort to be nice to him.
   ▪ struggle to try very hard to do something that is very difficult, especially for a long time: • She’s still struggling to give up smoking. | • Many of these families are struggling to survive.
   ▪ strive formal to try very hard to achieve something: • The company must constantly strive for greater efficiency.
   ▪ endeavour British English, endeavor American English /ɪnˈdevə $ -ər/ formal to try hard to do something: • Each employee shall endeavour to provide customers with the best service possible.
   ▪ have a go/try informal to try to do something, especially when you are not sure that you will succeed: • I’m not very good at fixing taps, but I’ll have a go. | • Do you want to have another try?
   ▪ see if you can do something spoken to try to do something – used when offering to do something, or suggesting that someone should do something: • I’ll see if I can get you a ticket. | • See if you can persuade her to come.
 try for something phrasal verb British English
   to try and get something you really want, such as a job, a prize, or a chance to study somewhere:
   • I decided I must try for some paid work.
   • We have been trying for a baby (=trying to have a baby) for nine years.
 try something ↔ on phrasal verb
   to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits you or if it suits you, especially in a shop:
   • Meg was trying on some red sandals.
 try something ↔ out phrasal verb
  1. to test something such as a method or a piece of equipment to see if it is effective or works properly ⇨ try-out:
   • I’m trying out a new computer.
  2. to practise a skill in order to improve it
  try something ↔ out on
   • She enjoyed trying her French out on Jean-Pierre.
 try out for something phrasal verb American English
   to try to be chosen as a member of a team, for a part in a play etc SYN audition for ⇨ tryout:
   • In high school, I tried out for all the female leads.