also 7 attemp, attemt. [a. OF. (14th c.) attempte-r, Latinized spelling of attenter = Pr. attentar, It. attentare:—L. attemptāre, attentāre, to strive after, try, attack, f. at- = ad- to, at + tempt-, tentāre, to try, test, freq. of tendĕre to stretch. See also the rarer ATTENT.]
I. To try, endeavor, essay.
1. trans. To make an effort, to use one’s endeavor to do or accomplish some action: a. with inf. To endeavor, try, essay.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, 100. The foresayd wylde gees attempten by no way To hurte theyr fruytes.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. i. 39. You must … either not attempt to choose at all, Or sweare [etc.].
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., I. 228. Him he attempts with studied arts to please.
1810. Coleridge, Friend (1865), 82. The truths we may attempt to communicate.
1850. McCosh, Div. Govt., II. ii. (1874), 168. Phenomena in which science never attempts to discover law.
b. with vbl. sb., noun of action, or pronoun representing them: To try, essay.
1538. Starkey, England, 22. Many … wych wythout profyt had attemptyd the same.
1558. Q. Eliz., in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. i. 2. Not to attempt … chaunge of any ordre or usage presently establyshed.
1604. Shaks., Oth., V. ii. 255. Vnkle, I must come forth. Gra. If thou attempt it, it will cost thee deere.
1611. Bible, Pref., 2. Whosoeuer attempteth anything for the publike.
1754. Hume, Hist. Eng., iv. To embolden her to attempt extorting the right of investitures.
1802. Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. 216. Without attempting any reply.
1876. Green, Short Hist., i. § 3 (1882), 22. To attempt the conversion of the English.
c. absolutely.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., I. iv. 79. Our doubts … make vs loose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt.
2. ellipt. To essay to engage with or have to do with, to try to accomplish or attain (any action or object of activity, esp. one attended with risk or danger); to venture upon, try one’s fortune with.
c. 1534. trans. Polyd. Verg. Eng. Hist. (1846), I. 81. The battayle was soe fearselie attempted as whoe shulde say eche mann thrested other’s life.
1691. Ray, Creation (1704), 192. Courage and Hardiness to attempt the Seas.
1701. Stanley’s Hist. Philos., Biogr. 2. Stanley was not the first who had attempted this Province.
1858. in Merc. Mar. Mag., V. 189. The vessel must not attempt the port, but continue at sea.
† 3. To try to use or in use; to try the effect or operation of, make trial of. Obs.
1563. Foxe, in Latimer’s Serm. & Rem. (1845), Introd. 15. Some also there were which attempted the pen against him.
1692. Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., Wks. 1738, I. 539. After they … had attempted all other ways and means.
1770. Junius Lett., xxxix. 195. Everyone of these remedies has been … attempted.
II. To try to influence or move.
† 4. To try with afflictions. Obs.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cxxx. [cxxvi.] 369. Sir Olyuer of Clyssone, whom I can nat loue nor neuer dyde, nor he me (who shall attempte me with rygorous wordes).
1550. Dk. Somerset, Pref. Coverdale’s Spir. Perle (1588), A v. It pleased God for a time to attempt vs with his scourge, and to proue if we loued him.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Dying, iii. § 4 (1727), 72. O Pain, in vain do’st thou attempt me.
5. To try with temptations, try to win over, seduce or entice; to tempt. arch.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, 191. Sore attempted by his gostly enemy.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 8. God … Hinder’d not Satan to attempt the minde of Man.
1691. Norris, Pract. Disc., 26. They attempt us, as the Devil did Adam.
1859. Tennyson, Vivien, 20. It made the laughter of an afternoon That Vivien should attempt the blameless King.
b. Const. to do something, to an action, course, etc.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, 191. The bedyls of Belial attempted full fast The erle and his countesse to kepe theyr opinion.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. xi. 63. Why then will ye, fond dame, attempted bee Unto a stranger’s love?
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1693), 119. His Highness should not be attempted to recede from the Religion.
1773. Berridge, Chr. World Unm. (1815), 22. Nothing will be found, I fear, to attempt a man to be a thief.
† 6. To endeavor to obtain or attract. Obs.
1607. Shaks., Timon, I. i. 126. This man of thine attempts her loue.
1749. Johnson, Van. Hum. Wishes, in Boswell (1816), 172. Shall … No cries attempt the mercy of the skies?
† 7. To try to move, to seek to influence (by reasoning, entreaty); to address with urgency. Obs.
a. 1547. Earl Surrey, Æneid, IV. (R.). Lefull it is for the For to attempt his fansie by request.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 421. Deare sir, of force I must attempt you further, Take some remembrance of vs as a tribute.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1457. I have attempted, one by one, the lords … With supplication prone and father’s tears, To accept of ransom for my son.
1673. Cave, Prim. Chr., III. ii. 261. She had been oft attempted … by the perswasions of good men.
III. To try with violence or force, make an attack upon.
8. intr. (with indirect passive) To make an attempt of hostile nature, an attack, or assault upon (an enemy, a fortress, life, property, an institution, etc.). Fr. attenter sur. Obs. (now ‘to make an attempt upon,’ or as 9.)
1636. Ariana, 90. That wicked desire in you to attempt upon her honour.
1645. Cromwell, Lett. & Sp. (1871), I. 179. We look to be attempted upon euery day.
1658–9. in Burton, Diary (1828), III. 482. If … your interest be attempted upon.
1697. Congreve, Mourn. Bride, IV. vii. Look that she attempt not on her life.
† b. To attempt nothing, the like, upon = to make no, the like, attempt upon. Fr. rien attenter sur. Obs.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 17. If you cannot Barre his accesse to’ th’ King, neuer attempt Anything on him.
c. 1613. W. Browne, Elegy, in Overbury’s Wks. (1856), 12. Attempt the like on his unspotted fame.
1745. in Col. Rec. Penn., V. 5. Something will be attempted upon Us this Winter by the Enemy.
9. trans. To try to master, take by force, or overthrow; to attack, assail, assault: a. an enemy, fortress, etc. arch.
1605. Rowlands, Hell’s Br. Loose, 32. With courage now let vs our selues addresse, Attempting on the sodaine Munster Towne.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1858), 207. How I should escape from them, if they attempted me.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 169/2. They attempted the Capitol by night.
1813. Examiner, 22 Feb., 120/2. The Bank was attempted, but it was saved by the soldiery.
b. in various fig. and transf. senses. arch.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 26. What attempth you, to attempt vs, To come on vs before the messenger thus?
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., xv. 239. That no disordered blast attempt her braided haire.
1749. Chesterf., Lett., 210, II. 303. The former would not have attempted … the liberties of Rome.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 67. Those rash hands which attempted his father’s crown.
† c. To make an attack upon the chastity of, to try to ravish or seduce. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 3. Apes that attempt women.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. vii. (1660), 136. The Judges … who attempted Susanna.
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. xviii. 29. When one of our sex finds she is attempted.
d. To attempt the life of: to try to take the life of, try to kill.
1743. J. Morris, Serm., iii. 73. The unbelieving Jews frequently attempted the life of Jesus.
1883. L’pool Daily Post, 31 Dec. The life of Mr. Forster was repeatedly attempted.
