Forms: 4–6 tri, 4–7 trie, trye, (4 treye, trei), 5– try. Pa. t. and pple. tried; also 4 (pa. t.) triȝed, (pa. pple.) triȝede, i-triȝed, -et, ytried, ytryed, 5 y-tryid; 4–5 treid, tryyd, 4–6 tryede, 4–7 tryde, 4–9 tryed, 5 (tryude), triet, tryet (also 6 Sc.), 5–6 tryid, 6–7 tride, tryd, Sc. tryit, 7 tri’d, 7–8 try’d. [a. OFr. trie-r (12th c., Benoit, Ducs de Norm., II. 11518 Le tort del dreit Trier e conoistre e sevrer (to sift and know and sever the wrong from the right) = Pr., Cat. triar, also med.L. triāre (from Prov. or Fr.) to sift or pick out. The legal use appears to have been developed in Anglo-French, where it is known c. 1280; there is no trace of this use in continental French. The origin of the Fr. and Prov. word is unknown.
The conjecture of Frisch, mentioned by Diez and by Skeat, that it represents a late L. *tritāre to grind out, thresh out, freq. of terĕre, is incompatible with the Provençal form. Another conjecture is that it was a transposed form of tirer ‘to draw, extract,’ in a specific sense; but evidence is wanting.]
1. trans. To separate (one thing) from another or others; to set apart; to distinguish. Often with out. Obs. or arch.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13260. Þey turnde ageyn, And tryde þe Bretons fro ilk Romeyn.
1413. 26 Pol. Poems, xii. 69. Til trouþe be fro treson tryed, Shal neuere be pes in regyon.
c. 1515. Cocke Lorell’s B. 13. With this man was a lusty company, For all raskyllers fro them they dyde trye.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VII., 54 b. He [Henry VII.] espyed and tried oute such as he knewe … to beare no good wyll … towarde his person.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvii. (1612), 180. For what is it but reason that humaine from brutish tries?
[1847. Bushnell, Chr. Nurt., I. i. (1861), 11. Human children still living a mixed life, trying out the good and evil of the world.]
† b. To pick out, choose, select: pa. pple. (quot. 1340–70), selected, choice (cf. TRIED 2).
[1292. Britton, II. xxvii. § 5. Face le viscounte trier xii. prodeshommes.]
1340–70. Alisaunder, 1233. For too keepe in that kith cumlich & riche All his tresour ytryed.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 727. The kiyn also this tyme hit is to trie; Do chese hem that be chested huge & hie.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 502/2. Tryin [v.r. tryyn], eligo, preeligo.
1481. Coventry Leet Bk., 484. See that the seid persones so be [= by] you to be tried oute & chosen.
† 2. To separate the good part of a thing from the rest, esp. by sifting or straining; hence, to sift or strain. Usually with out. Obs.
1382. [see TRIED 1].
c. 1420. ? Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 2071. Try out the corne clene from the chaff.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 11. Take ȝolkys of eyroun y-tryid fro þe whyte.
14[?]. Noble Bk. Cookry (Napier, 1882), 90. Put it to gedur with a crust of bred and try it through a strener.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par., Pref. 10. The boulter tryeth out the branne.
1581. W. Stafford, Exam. Compl., ii. (1876), 51. What neede they … to trie out the sandes of the ryuers of Tagus in Spaine, Pactolus in Asia, and Ganges in India, to get … small sparkes of gold.
1657. C. Beck, Univ. Char., L viij. To trye, or fine from the dreggs.
1790. W. Marshall, Midl. Co. (1796), II. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Try, v. to skreen.
† b. gen. To take or get out, to extract; also, in extended sense, To put into, insert. Obs. rare.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., II. 165. Impedymentis, rootis out thou trie. Ibid., 263. Aysell and wyne eke oute of hem men trie, As oute of peres. Ibid., III. 639. Wild asperages rootes many trie Into erthe ytilde. Ibid., XII. 94. The boones … in askes moolde Thay mynge, and it thai into skeppes trie.
† 3. spec. To separate (metal) from the ore or dross by melting; to refine, purify by fire; also, to remove (the dross or impurity) from metal by fire. Usually with out. Also fig. Obs.
13[?]. [see TRIED 1].
1524. in Acts Parlt. Scotl. (1875), XII. 41/1. Þe gold gais furth of þe sammyn [realm] in greit quantite becaus it is tryit to ane hieare price and valoure in vþir realmis.
1535. Coverdale, Zech. xiii. 9. I … will clense them, as the syluer is clensed: Yee and trye them, like as golde is tryed.
1539. Bible (Great), Ps. xxvi. 2. Examen me, o Lord, & proue me: trie out my reynes and my hert.
1545. Elyot, Chalcites, a stone … wherof brasse is tried.
1555. Inv. Ch. Goods (Surtees No. 97), 152. So moche refuse and baggaige tried out, by meane of the melting of the said plate.
1572. Pat. Roll 14 Eliz. XII. m. 22 (P.R.O.). Thomas Smyth … hath … founde out and put in vse a newe and certene arte to trye out and make of yron verye true perfytt and good copper.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. ix. 63. The fier seauen times tried this, Seauen times tried that iud[g]ement is, That did neuer choose amis.
1686. W. Harris, trans. Lemery’s Course Chym., Introd. (ed. 3), 44. Coppels are porous vessels made in form of a cup to be used for the trying and purifying of Gold and Silver.
4. To extract (oil) from blubber or fat by heat; to melt down (blubber, etc.), to obtain the oil; to render; also, to extract (wax) from a honey-comb. Usually with out.
1582. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 423. No chaundeler shall … trie or melt any tallowe wthin the walles.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, III. lxii. (1639), 193. Oile tried out of wooll in sheeps flanks or necks.
1630. J. Levett, Ord. Bees (1634), 51. After what manner doe you deale with your Combes to try out the waxe.
1852. Mundy, Our Antipodes, viii. (1855), 195. A dead whale was … ‘tried out’ by some speculating fisherman.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., To try down, to boil out the oil from blubber at sea in whalers.
1883. Sir A. Shea, Newfound. Fisheries, 10 (Fish. Exhib. Publ.). The fat is then cut up,… and tried out by steam.
b. intr. for pass. U.S.A.
1891. Cent. Dict., s.v., Grease tries out of a ham in cooking:… the perspiration is trying out of him.
† 5. To ascertain, find out (something doubtful, obscure, or secret) by search or examination; to sift out. Usually to try out. Obs.
[Cf. c. 1300–25. N. Bozon, Contes Moral. (1889), 9. La cause [of the attraction of the loadstone] ne peut estre triée.]
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 56. Yef we wil the sothe treye, Gon we til dom of our Leuedye.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, I. viii. (MS. Bodl. 263), lf. 36/1. But folke that list off daunger hem discharge … Til the trouthe be tried out in deed.
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., iii. 92. Tresoun to try sho was that tyme maist stout But sho is slak to try this tresoun out.
1584. Cogan, Haven Health (1636), 9. By this meanes doth Galen trie out the time most fit for exercise.
1675. trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., I. (1688), 129. They all agreed on this, that Lidington … should first try the Queens mind.
a. 1761. Law, Comf. Weary Pilgr. (1809), 52. This therefore may serve as a touchstone wherby every one may try the truth of his state.
† b. With material object. Obs. rare–1.
1539. Pollard, etc., in St. Papers Hen. VIII. (1830), I. 619. We have dayly fownde and tryede oute bothe money and plate, hyde and muryde up in walls, vauttis and other secrette placis.
c. To ascertain the truth or right of (a matter, a quarrel, etc.) by test or endeavor; with out, to thrash or fight out; to determine. Now rare.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 163 b. To trye ye mater wt dynte of swearde.
1545. Elyot, Disceptare armis, to trye by battayle.
1654. R. Codrington, trans. Justine, XI. 298. He was enforced by them to try it out in battel with them.
1703. Pope, Thebais, 490. The rushing winds … With equal rage their airy quarrel try, And win by turns the Kingdoms of the sky.
1857. Trollope, Barchester T., xxiii. Mr. Arabin said that he would try the question out with Mrs. Bold.
6. Law. To examine and determine (a cause or question) judicially; to determine the guilt or otherwise of (an accused person) by consideration of the evidence; to sit in judgment on; to judge. Also fig. † Also intr. with of (quot. c. 1330). (Prob. the earliest sense recorded in English.)
a. To try a cause or question.
[1292. Britton, I. v. § 8. Et si n’i eynt mie asez, si soint les chalengs triez. Et si les chalengs soint trovez verrays [etc.].]
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9686 (Cott.). Al þat þai striue a-mang þam thre, Thoru pes it agh at tried be.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 313. The wisest of þe clergie, with erles & barouns Togider went to trie of þer peticions.
1467. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 401. To trye it by xij. men aftur the lawe in suche case provided.
1562. Aberdeen Kirk Sess. Rec. (Spald. Cl.), 4. To trye, discusse, and examyn all faltis and offencis … off the haill inhabitantis off the burgh.
a. 1631. Donne, Poems (1650), 103. This will be tryed to morrow.
1755. W. Duncan, Cicero’s Sel. Orations, x. (1816), 307. He … may desire to know what crime it is that is trying.
1770. C. Jenner, Placid Man, VI. iv. Whilst the … cause had been trying at Mrs. Stapleton’s fire-side [etc.].
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxiii. It was tried in the Inner-house afore the Feifteen.
1892. Sir A. Kekewich, in Law Times Rep., LXVII. 139/1. I have to try the case before me according to those cases.
1895. Daily News, 4 Nov., 4/6. Mr. Justice Mathew, who tried the action,… had granted the injunction.
b. To try a person.
1538. Elyot, Interrogari legibus, to be tried by examination, that they had offended against the lawis.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. i. 21. The Iury … May in the sworne-twelue haue a thiefe, or two Guiltier then him they try.
1674. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 317. Judg Torner’s son, who was tryed for his life last November for killing a man.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, xvi. You must be tried before you are condemned.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, ix. A gang o’ Spanish pirates I saw tried for their lives.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 450. Let him who dares to smite an elder be tried for assault.
7. To test the strength, goodness, value, truth, or other quality of; to put to the proof, test, prove.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., A. 311. To leue no tale be true to tryȝe, Bot þat hys one skyl may dem.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 183. Whan alle tresouris arn triȝede [83 I-triȝed] treuþe is þe beste.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 188. No word Sholde out-Passe, but yf hit were triet wyth reyson.
a. 1536. Tindale, Expos. Matt. vi. (1550), 65 b. Excepte a man be proued and tried it cannot be knowen … that he is righteous.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 62. The friends thou hast, and their adoption tride, Grapple them to thy Soule, with hoopes of Steele.
1815. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Man of Many Fr. (Colburn), 157. Jumping and bumping himself about in Colonel Arden’s new carriage in order to try the springs.
1881. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. II. v. 230. He … had determined to try every fact … by the strict rules of inductive science.
b. To examine (a person) for the purpose of testing his qualifications: cf. TRIAL sb.1 6, TRIER 5. Obs. or Hist.
1636. in J. Bulloch, Pynours (1887), 70. In cais any persone … desyr to be admittit a laborar at the Shoir … they must first be tryit be the watter Baillie.
1654. Clarke Papers (Camden), III. 15. Those that sitte at Whitehall to try Ministers.
† c. To try out: to reject after trial; in quot., to dismiss (a challenged juryman): cf. TRIER 2.
1542–3. Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 26 § 46. If … the residue of the saide Iurye make defaulte or be tryed out.
d. To try a door, window, etc., to ascertain by attempting to open it whether it is fastened or locked.
1809. Examiner, 9 July, 15/1. He [Warren Hastings] then went to bed, and the next morning went to try the door to the library. He found it was locked.
1845. Dickens, Chimes, i. 2. For the night-wind has a dismal trick of wandering round and round a building of that sort, and moaning as it goes; and of trying, with its unseen hand, the windows and the doors; and seeking out some crevice by which to enter.
1889. Gunter, That Frenchman, iv. Maurice … closes the door behind him, trying it to be sure the spring lock has worked.
8. Joinery. To bring (a piece of timber) to a perfectly flat surface by repeatedly testing it and planing off the projecting parts; to plane with the trying-plane; also to try up; also, to test the straightness of (a planed surface) or the correspondence of (adjoining surfaces); also intr. (of a surface) to prove accurate or straight when tested.
1593. Fale, Dialling, 2. Prepare a piece of very good wood, try it perfectly on both sides to an equall thicknesse.
1678. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., iv. 60. To lay Boards … flat against, whiles they are Trying or Plaining. Ibid., v. 78. Try it again, as before, and if you find it Try all the way, you may … go over it again. Ibid. (1679), ix. 156. Try one side flat,… and both the edges straight. Ibid. (1683), Printing, x. ¶ 2. All its Sides are tryed square to one another.
1776. G. Semple, Building in Water, 85. After your Work is tried up or even put together.
1823. Adcock, Builders’ Pocket-Bk., 52. Swedish deals…, if tried up square at night they will be crooked in the morning.
9. Try on: to test the fit or style of (a garment) by putting it on. Also absol.
1693. Congreve, Old Bach., IV. viii. The daughters only tore two pair of kid-leather gloves, with trying ’em on.
1804. Mar. Edgeworth, Pop. T., The Will, ii. Miss Barton was trying on her dress.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xiii. He … tried a new coat in Pall Mall.
1883. Harper’s Mag., Feb., 446/1. She must go at once and ‘try on!’ It is a special order.
10. To subject to a severe test or strain; to strain the endurance or patience of, put to straits, afflict.
1539. Bible (Great), Hebr. xi. 36. Other were tried wt mockynges & scourgynges, moreouer, wt bondes & presonment. [Cf. 3.]
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 156. A syde wynde tryeth an archer and good gere verye muche.
1702. R. Nelson, in Pepys’ Diary, etc. (1879), VI. 257. If the Providence of God thinks fit to try you with the want of both.
1824. Byron, Juan, XVI. l. Her temper had been tried So much.
1825. B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life (1879), I. vii. 248. She has been tried in life more hardly than anybody whose … history I ever yet heard.
1859. Macaulay, in Trevelyan, Life & Lett. (1876), II. xv. 470. This malady tries me severely.
1905. Elin. Glyn, Viciss. Evangeline, 145. You look very pale, child; the journey has tried you probably.
11. To test the effect or operation of; to use, apply, or practise tentatively or by way of experiment; to experiment with. Try an experiment: to make an experiment; to do something in order to see what will come of it, or whether it produces the expected result.
To try conclusions, try a fall, try masteries: see the sbs.
1545. Primer Hen. VIII. (1546), 126. Try not the lawe with thy seruaunt.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 24. He that of wilfulnes trieth the law, Shall striue for a coxcome, and thriue as a daw.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Innovations (Arb.), 527. It is good also, not to try Experiments in States.
1676. Lady Chaworth, in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 29. Lady Portsmouth continues sicke, and some say she will try the French ayre, others the Bath watters.
1701. in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 302. I wish you would try Smith and Wallord for Cowper’s Anatomy, and the Philosophical Transactions.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 170. Those that will be trying masteries with their superiors.
1863. W. C. Baldwin, Afr. Hunting, vii. 246. I have tried fishing to-day, as I dare not fire a shot for fear of frightening the elephants.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 246. The United States government tried a similar experiment.
b. To experiment upon (with something); to test the effect of something upon.
1784. Cowper, in Gentl. Mag., LIV. I. 413/1. By … trying him with a variety of herbs [I] restored him to perfect health.
c. absol. or intr. To make experiment; † in quot. ? to practise.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 60. Dank ling forgot will quickly rot. Here learne and trie to turne it and drie.
d. To try (one’s) hand, to attempt to do something for the first time; to test one’s ability or aptitude at something.
1791. Shaftesb., Charac., I. i. (1737), I. 156. Who will willingly be the first to try our Hand.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 384. Why should I be debarred the liberty of trying my hand as well as another?
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb., V. iii. (1849), 271. He determined to try his hand at negotiation.
1896. N. York Weekly Witness, 30 Dec., 13/1. He prayed to be permitted to try his hand at spellbinding.
12. To endeavor to ascertain by experiment or effort; to attempt to find out; sometimes nearly = sense 11. a. with simple obj. (usually fortune, luck, or the like.)
1573. [see FORTUNE sb. 3 c].
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 59. If he had but thirtie thousand good footemen … he could willingly haue found in his hart to trie his fortune with this enemie.
1741. S. Speed, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 398. We shall go to Jamaica,… and try our luck once more.
1838. De Morgan, Ess. Probabilities, i. 21. They think they are trying their luck, as the phrase is.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vii. II. 202. He tried the effects of frowns and menaces.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, x. I have not yet been accepted. I have not even tried my chance.
1902. A. E. W. Mason, Four Feathers, viii. If he tried his luck with Miss Eustace.
b. with indirect interrogative clause (how, if, what, whether, etc.).
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. ii. 17. Ile trie how you can Sol, Fa, and sing it.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 20. Many ships scattering themselves to try whether they could obtain a prize.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., xii. 208. Try how the Centers are pitcht, by Treading the Treddle lightly down.
a. 1700. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. (1911), IX. 341. To trie what effects her Maiestys example might have on others.
1819. in Shelley Mem. (1859), 126. Let you and I try if we cannot be as punctual and businesslike as the best of them.
13. To show or find to be so by test or experience; to prove, demonstrate. (With simple obj., obj. cl., inf., or obj. and compl.) Now rare or Obs.
c. 1412. [see TRIED 3].
c. 1500. in I. S. Leadam, Star Chamb. Cases (1903), 101. He wold not take oon peny of him Except his right were tryed good.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., V. i. (Arb.), 79. She may hir selfe discharge and trie hir honestie.
1589. Whip for Ape, A 2. Sometimes his choppes doo walke in poynts too hie, Wherein the Ape himselfe a Woodcocke tries.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. iii. 29. He hath still beene tried a holy man.
1642. Declar. Lords & Comm., 2 Sept., 5. Fasting and Prayer having bin often tryed to be very effectuall.
1892. J. Kent, Racing Life Ld. G. Cavendish Bentinck, 47. Lord George Cavendish tried Godolphin to be a good horse.
† 14. To have experience of; to undergo, go through. Obs.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 84. The quiet life which I haue tryed being a mayden.
1625. Gill, Sacr. Philos., Pref. That treatise tryed the common fortune of all bookes; some slighted … others condemned it.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 860. Never more Mean I to trie what rash untri’d I sought, The paine of absence from thy sight.
1738. Gray, Propertius, II. v. 39. Or if, alas! it be my Fate to try Another Love.
15. To test one’s ability to deal with (something); to attempt to do, perform, or accomplish (an action); to venture upon, to essay. To try over, to go through (a performance, etc.) experimentally.
c. 1315. Shoreham, i. 1290. Nou ich habbe of þe ferste yteld, Þat oþer wyl ich trye.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxvii. 1. Nixt that a turnament wes tryid That lang befoir in hell wes cryid.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 83 b. This little barke…, which neuer tryed the foming maine beforne.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 12. All kind of worke seemeth to be hard before we doe try it.
1812. J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, II. 489. The boat hath left the lonesome rock And tries the wave again.
1870. Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. I. 176. Fancy a parody of Shakespeare…. You might as well try it with the Venus of Melos.
Mod. I should like to try it over first.
b. Try it on (with play on sense 9): to attempt an imposition; to endeavor to outwit or get the better of some one (usu. const. with); spec. in Thieves Cant, to live by thieving. slang.
1811. Lex. Balatr., Try on, to endeavour. To live by thieving. Coves who try it on; professed thieves.
1812. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 284. Witness agreed to try it on again although he considered himself in danger.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxxiv. No jokes, old boy: no trying it on me.
1903. Farmer & Henley, Slang, s.v., To try it on, to seek to outwit, get the better of, fleece, cheat…. To try it on a dog = to experiment at another’s expense or risk.
1912. Oxf. & Camb. Rev., Nov., 14. If he tries it on, the audience … is ready to convince him or his mistake.
16. intr. To make an effort, endeavor, attempt. (With inf., or absol.)
1638. [implied in TRIAL sb.1 8].
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 355. To repair his Strength he tries: Hardning his Limbs with painful Exercise.
1738. Gray, Propertius, iii. 23. While to retain the envious Lawn she tries.
1847. Marryat, Childr. N. Forest, iv. You will have to try and try again.
1895. Pall Mall G., 7 Oct., 1/3. England … has tried her best to head him off the path down which he seems determined to rush.
18[?]. Pop. Melody. If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try, try again.
b. Followed by and and a co-ordinated verb (instead of to with inf.) expressing the action attempted. colloq. Cf. AND B. 10.
1686. J. S[ergeant], Hist. Monast. Convent, 9. They try and express their love to God by their thankfulness to him.
1802. H. Martin, Helen of Glenross, II. 143. Frances retired, to try and procure a little rest.
1819, 1878. [see AND B. 10].
1855. in Coleridge, Mem. Keble (1869), II. 425. I have something to write to you on that matter, which I shall try and put on another piece of paper.
1883. L. Oliphant, Altiora Peto, I. 251. He had good reason to think that Sark was likely to try and back out.
c. Const. with preposition. Try for, to attempt to obtain or find (an object), or to reach (a place). Try at, to make an attempt upon, endeavor to get at; to attempt to do or accomplish.
1534. in I. S. Leadam, Sel. Cas. Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.) 43. Your sayd humble subgett is a very powre man and nott able to trye for his sayd libertie … by the ordre of the comen lawe.
1653. Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Cl.), I. 108. Quhen he went to search and try for the lard’s hors yt was stollen.
1763. [see FOR prep. 12].
1794. Charlotte Smith, Wand. Warwick, 195. Xaviera … seemed, by an effort of resolution, to try at conquering her confusion.
1816. Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, i. (1818), 10. The sea being much discoloured, we tried for soundings, but did not get bottom with 120 fathoms of line.
1913. Illustr. Lond. News, 16 Aug., 266/2. On three occasions he made some show of trying for a degree, and between times attended as few lectures as he could.
d. intr. and trans. To search a place in order to find something, esp. game, or its scent. colloq.
1810. Sporting Mag., XXXVI. 233. He bid the other defendants try across the Six Acres.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 125. Bees in every peep did try.
1827. G. A. McCall, Lett. fr. Frontiers (1868), 178. The Colonel had directed Maximo to bring … all … appliances for hunting the green turtle; and the latter … was thus early in motion to ‘try’ after turtle.
1909. Toilers of Deep, Oct., 246/1. Frequently they ‘try a piece,’ as fishing parlance has it.
e. intr. Try back: to go back (lit. or fig.) so as to cover ground afresh where something has previously been missed; to ‘hark back.’
1816. Knox & Jebb, Corr., II. 273. At college, I was obliged to try back in mathematics. Through daily life, I am obliged to try back in minor morals.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. vii. They tried back slowly and sorrowfully, and found the lane.
1863. Whyte-Melville, Gladiators, 233. Like a hound … now trying back with untiring perseverance.
1874. R. Tyrwhitt, Sketch. Club, 3. To get people to see when their work won’t do, and to try back and attempt simpler things.
f. trans. To attempt or solicit (a woman); to endeavor to seduce; also of a stallion, to attempt to cover (a mare).
1713. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lady’s Resolve. In part she is to blame that has been try’d; He comes too near, that comes to be deny’d.
1811. Sporting Mag., XXXVIII. 212. The horse took as much pains to try the mare as any stallion.
† 17. Naut. intr. Of a vessel: To lie to. (See quot. 1867.) Also, to try a-hull. Obs.
The meaning in first quot. is doubtful.
[1533. J. Heywood, Play Wether (1903), 572. The see … Where shyppes by meane of wynd try from port to porte.]
1556. in Hakluyt, Voy. (1598), I. 277. When the barke had way, we cut the hawser, and so gate the sea to our friend, and tryed out al that day with our maine corse.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. i. 37. Downe with the top-Mast: yare, lower, lower, bring her to Try with Maine-course.
1725. H. De Saumarez, in Phil. Trans., XXXIII. 427. We had hard Gales … and a distracted Sea, insomuch that we try’d under a double reef’d Main-sail, great Part of the Time.
1773. Life N. Frowde, 122. We were obliged … to ly too, and let the Ship drive with the Tempest, and at length, to try a Hull.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Try, or Lie-to in a Gale, is by a judicious balance of canvas, to keep a ship’s bow to the sea, and … prevent her rolling to windward in the trough of a sea.
