WordWeb Online

1. An analytic or interpretive literary composition
    
2. A tentative attempt

1. Make an effort to accomplish something
   "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps";
   - try, seek, attempt, assay
    
2. Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
   "essay this recipe";
   - test, prove, try, try out, examine, trial

Derived forms: essays, essayed, essaying

Type of: act, attempt, effort, endeavor [US], endeavour [Brit, Cdn], evaluate, judge, move, pass judgment, piece of writing, try, writing, written material

Encyclopedia: Essay, Orne