[f. ESSAY v. + -ING1.] The action of the vb. ESSAY; also concr. Also (nonce-use) the writing essays.
1861. in Macm. Mag., IV. 43. It might have been much better … if they had left essaying and reviewing alone.
1869. Spectator, 1 May, 539/1. To … watch the reception given to his essayings without throwing his own shadow on the page.
1882. Spectator, 25 March, 393/1. They are the presomnial essayings of a man who has to be up by times in the morning.
