Roget's Thesaurus

#675. Essay

Nouns

essay, trial, endeavor, attempt; aim, struggle, venture, adventure, speculation, coup d'essai [Fr.], debut; probation etc. (experiment) 463.

Verbs

try, essay; experiment etc. 463; endeavor, strive; tempt, attempt, make an attempt; venture, adventure, speculate, take one's chance, tempt fortune; try one's fortune, try one's luck, try one's hand; use one's endeavor; feel one's way, grope one's way, pick one's way. try hard, push, make a bold push, use one's best endeavor; do one's best etc. (exertion) 686.

Adjectives

essaying etc. v.; experimental etc. 463; tentative, empirical, probationary.

Adverbs

experimentally etc. adj.; on trial, at a venture; by rule of thumb. if one may be so bold.

Phrases

aut non tentaris aut perfice [Lat.] [Ovid]; chi non s'arrischia non guadagna [Fr.].