attempt, attempte ( p mute)

t. & i. [In Old Fr. attempter, a tempter; Mod. Fr. at tenter; Prov. & Port, attentar; Sp. atentar; Ital. attent are; Lat. at ten to to reach after, to try; freq. from attendo =. to attend (ATTEND): ad = to, and ten do = to stretch.] A. Transitive: I. Gen. To make trial or experiment of; to try, to endeavour. 1. (Followed by an adjective of the person or thing of which one makes trial or experiment, or atter whom or which one puts forth an endeavour. "Something attempted , something done, Has earned a night's reрове. Long fellow: The Village Blacksmith. 2. (Followed by the infinitive.) "The government regarded these infant colonies with aversion, and a'tempted violently to stop the stream of emigration."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng . , ch. 1. II. Specially: *1. To try in the sense of tempting; to tempt. (In this sense the word tempt has taken its place.) "Who in all things wise and just, Hindered not Satan to a tempt the mind Of man, with strength entire and free-will armed." Milton : P. L., x. 8. 2. To attack. "Tript me behind, got praises of the king. For him attempting who was self-subdued." Shakesp.: Lear, ii. 2. B. In trans. To make an attack. hit have been so hardy to at temp ere up on name: which. among some, is yet very sacred."-Glanvill: Scepsis Scientific a.