Forms: α. 5 endevoyre, endover, (endower, -re), 5–6 endevoir, endever, 5–7 endevor(e, 6 endevyr, endevur, endevre, 6–7 endevour(e, 6– endeavour. β. 5–7 indevor, 6 indevur, 6–7 indever, indevour, 7–9 indeavour. [f. EN-1 + DEVOIR sb.; cf. the Fr. phrase se mettre en devoir de faire quelquechose to make it one’s duty to do something; hence, to set about, to endeavor. Cf. also the following quot.:
1504. Nottingham Borough Rec., III. 325. And þat euery Mair for þe tyme beyng put in devoire to calle … his said Chaumberleyns … to performe the same.]
† 1. refl. To exert oneself, use effort. Const. to with inf.; (rarely) for, to, with sb.; also simply.
α. c. 1400. York Myst., iv. 30. So that ye may endower To susteyn beast and man … Dwell here if that ye canne, This shall be your endowre.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 422/3. He … moche endeuoyred hym to make hym to lerne the deuyne Scripture.
1485. Procl. agst. Henry Tudor, in Paston Lett., No. 883, III. 319. Like gode and true Englishmen to endover themselfs … for the defence of them.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 22. Preamb., Endevoir youre self and put to your hand and spare no cost.
1521–2. Compl. North, in Furniv., Ballads fr. MSS., I. 338. Wherfor I moste, & wyll do evyr, to pray for hys grace my selfe endevyr.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov. (1549), Pref. 2. I endeuoured my selfe whiles I had leysour, to translate it into Englishe.
1642. J. Jackson, Bk. of Conscience, 86. I endeavour my selfe constantly both to refuse the evill and choose the good.
β. 1495–6. Plumpton Corr., 115. I shall indevor me for you as farre as I can.
1535. Fisher, Wks., I. 412. If thou wilt indeuer thee vpon thy parte.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. viii. (Arb.), 36. They are as it were inforced to indeuour them selues to armes.
1614. Lodge, Seneca, Ep. 166. Indeuour thy selfe as much as in thee lieth, to the end [etc.].
1655. trans. Sorel’s Com. Hist. Francion, VII. 25. In the morning he did indeavour himself to make us friends.
† b. trans. To exert (one’s power), thoughts, etc. Obs. rare.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 397. Marcus Aurelius … endeuoured his power to persecute the Christians.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 124 b. Euery man endeuored his thoughts how to make his duty, loue, obedience & alleagiance encrese to him. Ibid., Ll 5 b. This Maximilian was a good Prince, and endeuored al his power against the Turke.
1642. Lanc. Tracts Civil War (1844), 18. Our high Sheriff … will readily … endeavour the power of the County against our proceedings.
† 2. intr. for refl. To strive, try, exert oneself; to direct one’s efforts. Obs. exc. as in 3.
1551. Turner, Herbal, I. (1568), 142. A gourde hath long runnyng branches, whiche naturally indevour upwarde.
1588. Allen, Admon., 55. The pardon of his Holines, giuen to all … that … indeuor in this quarrell.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 100 b–101. All the realme endeuored after his steps.
1624. Bargrave, Serm. agst. Self-Policy, 24. Let us indeuour with words and workes.
3. intr. (The only mod. use.) To try, make an effort for a specified object; to attempt strenuously. a. Const. to with inf. Also (rarely) used impersonally in passive.
α. 1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iv. 146. Euery man that means to liue well, endeuours to trust to himselfe.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 591. He endevoureth to disperse and distribute the knowledge of his Majesty, [etc.].
1649. Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Use of Passions, 306. ’Tis endeavoured to part them from themselves.
1651. in Nicholas Papers (1886), 269. I will endeavour … to save something of my estate.
1759. Hume, Hist. Eng., III. liii. 133. It was even endeavoured to revive the first institution of the college of justice.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. iv. 44. He [the pope] sent the Archbishop of Rouen to England to endeavour to compromise matters.
β. 1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xv. (1611), 207. The teares of their grieued eyes the Prophets indeuoured with comforts to wipe away.
c. 1620. in Hatton Corr. (1878), 3. To know God’s will and to indever to doe it.
1743. J. Morris, Serm., ii. 47. He indeavours to preserve peace.
b. With clause introduced by that.
16[?]. Father Walsh, in Scotsman (1883), 17 Sept., 2/6. It were more charitable to endeavour that the errors might be taken away.
c. Const. after, † at, † for.
1647. French, Distill., vi. (1651), 194. All the Chymicall discoveries are … found out by … endeavouring after this.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. § 8. 113. In a time when a bloody King endeavoured for his [John the Baptist’s] destruction.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Author’s Apol. Which the world never … gave them any thanks for endeavouring at.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 106, ¶ 8. I could heartily wish that more of our Country-Clergy would … endeavour after a handsome Elocution.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 9, ¶ 9. Every man ought to endeavour at eminence.
1851. Ht. Martineau, Hist. Peace (1877), III. V. ix. 386. He was endeavouring after that enjoyment of domestic life.
1860. Mill, Repr. Govt., ii. (1865), 10. If we are endeavouring after more riches.
† 4. trans. To use effort or pains for; to attempt. Obs. exc. arch.
α. 1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 468. The Lutherans … have never endevoured anything more carefully.
1620. Horæ Subseciuæ, 109. Hate Couetousnesse, but endeuour Thrift.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1703), II. VII. 288. We shall … endeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy [etc.].
1656. H. More, Antid. Ath. (1712), Pref. Gen. He is to endeavour the adorning of himself with such accomplishments.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 87, ¶ 6. He who endeavours the cure of our intellectual maladies, mistakes their cause.
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, I. III. iii. 530. He was stimulated to endeavour the restoration.
1871. Ruskin, Fors Clav., viii. 17. Had it never been endeavoured until now.
β. 1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1589), 405. To indevor the spoile of all that is therein.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), A b. I could … indeuor a draught of your most Honourable praises.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 146. I have herein indeavoured the utmost ingenuity toward Mr. Bayes.
† b. To try to fulfil (a law). Obs.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. xx. (1851), 116. Every act of true faith … as that whereby we endeavour the law.
† 5. To make a (hostile) attempt upon; to attack. Obs. rare.
1589. Nashe, Almond for P., 17 a. It is nought but a learned ministry which their champion Martin endeuors.
1606. R. Turnbull, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. xv. 5. It [teredo] hath such teeth as endeavoureth and consumeth the hard timber. [But perh. a nonce-wd. f. EN-1 + DEVOUR.]
