Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - attempt

 I. transitive verb  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French ~er, from Latin ~are, from ad- + temptare to touch, try — more at tempt  Date: 14th century  1. to make an effort to do, accomplish, solve, or effect ~ed to swim the swollen river  2. archaic tempt  3. archaic to try to subdue or take by force ; attack  • ~able adjective Synonyms:  ~, try, endeavor, essay, strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end. ~ stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort will ~ to photograph the rare bird. try is often close to ~ but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something tried to determine which was the better procedure. endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty endeavored to find crash survivors in the mountains. essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting will essay a dramatic role for the first time. strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort continues to strive for peace.  II. noun  Date: 1534  1.  a. the act or an instance of ~ing; especially an unsuccessful effort  b. something resulting from or representing an ~ surrounded by…a few ~s at rose bushes — Marian Engel  2. attack, assault an ~ on the life of the president