try

CEFRA1

/tɹaɪ/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make an effort to do or achieve something.

  2. 02

    noun

    An attempt to do or achieve something.

Examples

  • I don't know if I can come but I'll try.

  • You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.

At a glance

Sits at A1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [tɹəi̯]
  • /tɹɑj/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To divide; to separate., To separate (precious metal etc.) from the ore by melting; to purify, refine.

  2. To attempt; to endeavour. Followed by infinitive.

  3. To divide; to separate.

More examples

In context

  • Can you start the car? —I'll try (to).

  • I tried to rollerblade, but I couldn’t.

  • to try out the wild corn from the good

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

If you want to test your ability, you should blank to complete the task.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English trien (“to separate out, sift, choose, select, evaluate, try a legal case”), from Anglo-Norman trier, triher, triere (“to divide, separate, choose, select, prove, determine, try a case”), Old French trier (“to choose, pick out or separate from others, sift, cull”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Occitan triar (“to choose, sort, scrutinise, peel”), Catalan triar (“to pick, choose, decide”). Suggested to be derived from Late Latin *trītāre (“to crush, grind, trample, wear out”), itself derived from Classical Latin trītus (“rubbed, worn down, pulverised”), the past participle of terō, terere (“to rub, wear down, trample”), though this derivation is incompatible with the...