Reverse Dictionary: ATTEMPT

ADJECTIVES
► ON worthy of an attempt; possible, feasible → 1935 UK sl.
► VENTURABLE attemptable; adventurable; venturous, hazardous → 1576 obs.
► YFONDED attempted, tried, tested, tempted → 1175 obs.

NOUNS
► BASH an attempt; a try → 1996 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► BIRL ► BURL an attempt or try; a test → 1917 Aust. & NZ colloq.
► COUP D’ESSAI a first attempt → 1676
► DAB an attempt, a try; a crack → 1861 US sl.
► DASH an attempt → 1931 colloq.
► ETTLE an attempt, an effort, an endeavour, an aim, an intent → 1839 Sc.
► FANDING ► FONDING an attempt, an experiment; a trying to do or find out something → 1000 obs.
► FIST 1. a poor attempt, failure, mess → 1833 Amer. dial.
2. an attempt, a go  → 1838 Amer. dial.
► FLUTTER an attempt at anything; an exciting venture at betting or cards → 1874 sl.
► HACK an attempt, a try → 1836 Amer.
► IMITATION an attempt → 1902 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► INDEAVERANCE an attempt; one’s utmost effort → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► JAB an attempt, a try → 20C US sl.
► MINT an attempt at, an aim, effort, endeavour → 1660 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► OFFER an attempt at doing something, or a show of this; the act of aiming at something, an aim → 1581 obs.
► OFFERING a feeble attempt → 1903 Sc.
► PAN an attempt, an effort → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SAY an attempt, an assay; a trial piece of work → 1723 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► SAY-HAND an attempt, experiment → 1712 obs.
► SAY-PIECE a first attempt at anything → 1773 Sc. obs.
► SCRAMP a hurried attempt; a snatching → 1904 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SHOT IN THE DARK a very general attempt; a wild guess → 1895 
► SHY an attempt; a ‘go’ → M19 sl.
► SLAP an attempt, a go → M19 sl.
► TAKE an attempt or try → 20C colloq.
► WHACK an attempt, a chance, a turn → 1884 

PHRASES
► DON’T STRETCH THE ARMS FARTHER THAN THE SLEEVES REACH don’t attempt anything beyond one’s means → 1887 Eng. dial.

VERBS
► AFFORCE to attempt, to endeavour, to try → 1487 obs.
► AFOND to attempt, to try → 1488 obs.
► AWM ► HAUM ► HAWM to attempt, to begin, to set about a thing → 1902 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► AWSE to attempt → 1886 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BUSK to make an attempt, to try → 1450 obs.
► CHANCE ONE’S ARM to make a speculative attempt; to try something not very likely to succeed → 1999 (Bk.)
► DEVER to attempt, to try, to endeavour → 1879 Eng. dial.
► ETTLE to attempt, to endeavour; to strive after, to struggle hard to obtain → 1725 Sc.
► FAND ► FOND to attempt, to try → 1225 obs.
► FINISH ALADDIN’S WINDOW to attempt to complete something begun by a great genius, but left imperfect; to attempt to complete a task beyond one’s powers → 19C 
► GIVE IT A BASH to make an attempt → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► GIVE IT A BIRL ► GIVE IT A BURL to make an attempt → 1933 Aust. & NZ sl.
► GIVE IT A BUCK to make an attempt → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► GIVE IT A FLY to make an attempt, to have a go → 1919 Aust. sl.
► GIVE IT A GO to make an attempt → 1835 
► GIVE IT A WHIRL to make an attempt → 1884 sl., orig. US
► GIVE THE VENTURE to make the attempt → 1599 obs.
► GO TO MARKET to make an attempt at something → 1890 
► HAUSE ► HAWSE to attempt, to try → 1851 Eng. dial.
► HAVE A BASH AT to make an attempt → 1948 sl., chiefly Brit.
► HAVE A BUCK AT to try; to make an attempt → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► HAVE A CRACK AT ► TAKE A CRACK AT to make an attempt → 1836 sl., orig. US
► HAVE A DASH AT to make an attempt → 1923 Aust. colloq.
► HAVE A FLY AT to make an attempt, to have a go → 1919 Aust. sl.
► HAVE A GO AT to make an attempt → 1835 
► HAVE A LASH AT to make an attempt → 1894 Aust. & NZ sl.
► HAVE A RAP AT ANYTHING to make an attempt, hit or miss → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► HAVE A SHOT AT ► TAKE A SHOT ► TAKE A SHOT AT to make an attempt, to try → 1878 sl.
► HAVE A SHY AT to make an attempt to do → 1926 US sl. (Bk.)
► HAVE A SMACK AT to make an attempt at or attack on → 1679 
► HAVE A STAB AT ► MAKE A STAB AT to make an attempt; to guess → 1895 sl., orig. US
► HAVE A WHACK AT ► TAKE A WHACK AT to make an attempt → 1891 sl., orig. US
► IMITATE to make an attempt; to endeavour to do something → 1626 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► LAM AWAY AT to make an attempt to → 1884 Amer. dial.
► LOOK FOR A NEEDLE IN A BOTTLE OF HAY to attempt an extremely difficult, impossible, or foolish task → 1742 
► LOOK FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK to attempt an extremely difficult, impossible, or foolish task → 1855 
► LOOK FOR A NEEDLE IN A MEADOW to attempt an extremely difficult, impossible, or foolish task → 1530 
► MAKE to attempt; to try; to offer → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MAKE A DAB to make an attempt at a thing → 1900 US sl.
► MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW to attempt a task without provision of the necessary materials or means → 1658 
► MAKE THE RIFFLE to attempt a thing successfully → 1859 Amer.
► MINT to attempt, to endeavour; to venture, to dare, to presume → 1724 Sc.
► MIRD to attempt, to venture → 1809 Sc.
► NIXURIATE to attempt, to endeavour → 1623 obs.
► OFFER to attempt, to try; to make an effort or start; to show intention or promise of → 1722 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
► OFFER AT to make an attempt at; to aim at → 1847 Sc.
► PLAY WHALEY to attempt what is beyond one’s capabilities → 1916 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► PRESS to endeavour or attempt to do something, esp. with eagerness or haste; to aim at or strive after → 1425 obs.
► RAP to attempt a thing at all risks; to hazard → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SEEK A HARE IN A HEN’S NEST to attempt something that is almost impossible → 1599 obs.
► SEEK A NEEDLE IN A BOTTLE OF HAY to attempt an extremely difficult, impossible, or foolish task → 1690 
► SEEK A NEEDLE IN A TRUSS OF HAY to attempt an extremely difficult, impossible, or foolish task → 1711 
► TACKLE to attempt to deal with, to grapple with → 1847 
► TAKE A POKE AT to attempt, to have a try → 1930 sl.
► TAKE A POP AT to make an attempt → 1920 sl.
► TEMPT to attempt, to try → 19C Eng. dial.
► TEND to attempt → 19C Eng. dial.