[f. TRY v. + -ING2.] That tries. 1. That tests severely; that is a trial; hard to bear or endure; severe, distressing, painful; that tries one’s endurance or patience.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, II. xv. 98. For the Security of the Church … in such a Trying Time.
1798. Monthly Mag., March, 183. Sudden vicissitudes of temperature must be exceedingly trying to delicate constitutions.
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 652. The month of May is … a ‘trying’ month, to persons … ailing.
1907. J. H. Patterson, Man-Eaters of Tsavo, xvi. 175. She was so … exhausted by her trying march … that she was scarcely able to speak.
2. Attempting, endeavoring, striving rare.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphrod., etc., O iij. This got I say my trying tongue, whiche tolde hyr many a lye.
1836. Mrs. Browning, Poet’s Vow, IV. iv. The old eyes searching … The young ones … To read their look if sound forsook The trying, trembling breath.
1841. [implied in tryingly].
Hence Tryingly adv., in a trying manner or degree; in the way of attempt or endeavor (rare); distressingly, painfully; Tryingness, trying or distressing quality or character.
1813. Morn. Chron., 21 Sept., 2/3. In no instance has it [professional skill and perseverance] been more tryingly evinced, than in the conduct of Lieutenant the Honourable James Arbuthnot.
1841. Tait’s Mag., VIII. 109. The small hand put out so tryingly.
1859. Cornwallis, New World, I. 359. The climate … is … at times rather tryingly warm.
1865. The Intelligencer (SC), 6 July, 4/4. Returned long-suffering to our tryingness.
1885. Anne Eliot, My Wife’s Niece, II. xi. 212. Standing thus in an attitude which showed so freely and tryingly the lines of her figure.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, xxv. 569. To walk through, give me kokos for good all-round tryingness, particularly when they are wet.
