Search the Dictionary

To empty. [Obs.] Chaucer.

One who attempts; one who essays anything.

egarded as the great enticer to evil. "Those who are bent to do wickedly will never want tempters to urge them on." Tillotson. So glozed the Tempter, and his proem tuned. Milton.

One who does not tempt, or is not a tempter. [Obs.] Wyclif.

To usurp, as jurisdiction or royal prerogatives. They had attempted to accroach to themselves royal power. Stubbs.

m (some action); to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight. Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose. Longfellow.

Capable of being attempted, tried, or attacked. Shak.

Any step wrongly innovated or attempted in a suit by an inferior judge.

a ship, whether with a hostile or a friendly purpose. Both slain at one time, as they attempted the boarding of a frigate. Sir F. Drake.

One of an ancient religious sect, so called fron Cerinthus, a Jew, who attempted to unite the doctrines of Christ with the opinions of the Jews and Gnostics. Hook.

d), and by cutting the cable as soon as she pays off on the other tack. Clubhauling is attempted only in an exigency.

lutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

to the government of the eleven Southern States of the United States which (1860-1865) attempted to establish an independent nation styled the Confederate States of America; as, the Confederate congress; Confederate money.

pectation; to despair of. [Obs.] I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted. Milton.

The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. Luke iv. 2. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. Rev. xii. 9.

make unfriendly or less friendly; to fill with discontent and unfriendliness. They had attempted to disaffect and discontent his majesty's late army. Clarendon.

reak up (what is organized); to throw into utter disorder; to disarrange. Lyford . . . attempted to disorganize the church. Eliot (1809).

That which is undertaken; something attempted to be performed; a work projected which involves activity, courage, energy, and the like; a bold, arduous, or hazardous attempt; an undertaking; as, a manly enterprise; a warlike enterprise. Shak. Their hands can not perform their enterprise. Job v. 12.

One exempted or freed from duty; one not subject.

That may be exempted.