verb

try

trahy

verb

To make an attempt at doing something.

"She tried to fix the leak herself before calling a plumber."

"Try not to worry so much about the exam."

To test something out, such as by tasting or using it.

"Would you like to try the new flavour before you buy it?"

In law, to hold a legal hearing to decide a case.

"The case will be tried before a jury next month."

noun

An attempt.

"Give it another try — you almost had it that time."

In rugby, a score made by touching the ball down over the opponent's goal line.

"The winger sprinted the length of the pitch to score a try."

How to Use Try

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo attempt or test something; also a noun for that attempt, or a rugby score.

Common pairings

try again give it a try score a try try your best

Word Forms

more try comparative, tried past tense, try plural, tried plural, tries plural, tries singular, try singular, tried singular, triest singular, triedst singular, trieth singular, most try superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ not to worry so much about the exam.

Etymology

From Old French trier, "to sift, choose, or pick out," originally used for sorting grain or ore before it came to mean "attempt" or "test."

Synonyms

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strive put keep etc. one's nose to the grindstone put one's back into give 110% break one's back work hard apply oneself extra point

Related Words

abandon keep put stay strive prostitute idiot endeavor

Rhymes for try

entry gentry poetry gantry pastry paltry pantry sentry sultry Dmitry country poultry

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