American Dictionary of the English Language

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Try


TRY, verb intransitive To exert strength; to endeavor; to make an effort; to attempt. try to learn; try to lift a weight. The horses tried to draw the load. [These phrases give the true sense.]

TRY, verb transitive To examine; to make experiment on; to prove by experiment.

Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me.

1. To experience; to have knowledge by experience of.

Or try the Libyan heat, or Scythian cold.

2. To prove by a test; as, to try weights and measures by a standard; to try one's opinions by the divine oracles.

3. To act upon as a test.

The fire sev'n times tried this.

4. To examine judicially by witnesses and the principles of law; as causes tried in court.

5. To essay; to attempt.

Let us try advent'rous work.

6. To purify; to refine; as silver seven times tried.

7. To search carefully into. Psalms 11:4.

8. To use as means; as, to try remedies for a disease.

9. To strain; as, to try the eyes; the literal sense of the word.

To try tallow, etc. is to melt and separate it from the membranes.

To tryout, to pursue efforts till a decision is obtained.