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try on

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try

  [trahy] verb, tried, try⋅ing, noun, plural tries.
Use try on in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to attempt to do or accomplish: Try it before you say it's simple.
2. to test the effect or result of (often fol. by out): to try a new method; to try a recipe out.
3. to endeavor to evaluate by experiment or experience: to try a new field; to try a new book.
4. to test the quality, value, fitness, accuracy, etc., of: Will you try a spoonful of this and tell me what you think of it?
5. Law. to examine and determine judicially, as a cause; determine judicially the guilt or innocence of (a person).
6. to put to a severe test; subject to strain, as of endurance, patience, affliction, or trouble; tax: to try one's patience.
7. to attempt to open (a door, window, etc.) in order to find out whether it is locked: Try all the doors before leaving.
8. to melt down (fat, blubber, etc.) to obtain the oil; render (usually fol. by out).
9. Archaic.
a. to determine the truth or right of (a quarrel or question) by test or battle (sometimes fol. by out).
b. to find to be right by test or experience.
–verb (used without object)
10. to make an attempt or effort; strive: Try to complete the examination.
11. Nautical. to lie to in heavy weather under just sufficient sail to head into the wind.
–noun
12. an attempt or effort: to have a try at something.
13. Rugby. a score of three points earned by advancing the ball to or beyond the opponents' goal line.
—Verb phrases
14. try on, to put on an article of clothing in order to judge its appearance and fit: You can't really tell how it will look until you try it on.
15. try out, to use experimentally; test: to try out a new car.
16. try out for, to compete for (a position, membership, etc.): Over a hundred boys came to try out for the football team.
—Idioms
17. give it the old college try, Informal. to make a sincere effort: I gave it the old college try and finally found an apartment.
18. try it, that, etc., on, Chiefly British Informal.
a. to put on airs: She's been trying it on ever since the inheritance came through.
b. to be forward or presumptuous, esp. with a member of the opposite sex: She avoided him after he'd tried it on with her.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME trien to try (a legal case) < AF trier, OF: to sift, cull, of uncert. orig.

Synonyms:
1, 10. Try, attempt, endeavor, strive all mean to put forth an effort toward a specific end. Try is the most often used and most general term: to try to decipher a message; to try hard to succeed. Attempt, often interchangeable with try, sometimes suggests the possibility of failure and is often used in reference to more serious or important matters: to attempt to formulate a new theory of motion. Endeavor emphasizes serious and continued exertion of effort, sometimes aimed at dutiful or socially appropriate behavior: to endeavor to fulfill one's obligations. Strive, stresses persistent, vigorous, even strenuous effort, often in the face of obstacles: to strive to overcome a handicap.

Usage note:
10. Try followed by and instead of to has been in standard use since the 17th century: The Justice Department has decided to try and regulate jury-selection practices. The construction occurs only with the base form try, not with tries or tried or trying. Although some believe that try and is less formal than try to, both patterns occur in all types of speech and writing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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try   (trī)   
v.   tried (trīd), try·ing, tries (trīz)

v.   tr.

  1. To make an effort to do or accomplish (something); attempt: tried to ski.

  2. To taste, sample, or otherwise test in order to determine strength, effect, worth, or desirability: Try this casserole. Try the door.

  3. Law

    1. To examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process.

    2. To put (an accused person) on trial.

  4. To subject to great strain or hardship; tax: The last steep ascent tried my every muscle.

  5. To melt (lard, for example) to separate out impurities; render.

  6. To smooth, fit, or align accurately.

v.   intr.
To make an effort; strive.
n.   pl. tries (trīz)

  1. An attempt; an effort.

  2. Sports In Rugby, an act of advancing the ball past the opponent's goal line and grounding it there for a score of three points.

  3. To don (a garment) to test its fit.

  4. To test or use experimentally.

  5. To undergo a competitive qualifying test, as for a job or athletic team.

  6. To test or use experimentally.

Phrasal Verb(s):
try on

  1. To don (a garment) to test its fit.

  2. To test or use experimentally.

try out

  1. To undergo a competitive qualifying test, as for a job or athletic team.

  2. To test or use experimentally.


Idiom(s):
try (one's) handTo attempt to do something for the first time: I tried my hand at skiing.

[Middle English trien, from Old French trier, to pick out, from Vulgar Latin *triāre.]
Usage Note: The phrase try and is commonly used as a substitute for try to, as in Could you try and make less noise? A number of grammarians have labeled the construction incorrect. To be sure, the usage is associated with informal style and strikes an inappropriately conversational note in formal writing. Sixty-five percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use in writing of the sentence Why don't you try and see if you can work the problem out between yourselves?
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: try
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: tried; try·ing
Etymology: Anglo-French trier to choose, sort, ascertain, examine judicially, from Old French, to choose, sort
1 : to examine or investigate judicially tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law —U.S. Constitution amendment VII> tried upon the facts without a jury —Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 52(a)>
2 : to conduct the trial of : put on trial tried is unable to perform the duties to be performed by the court after a verdict or finding of guilt —Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 25(b)>
3 : to participate as lawyer or counsel in the trial of : bring to trial on behalf of a client try death penalty cases>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: Try
Function: abbreviation
tryptophan
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Try abbr.
tryptophan

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

try on

  1. Test the fit or look of a garment by putting it on, as in Do you want to try on this dress? This expression is also put as try on for size, which is sometimes used figuratively, as in The teacher wanted to try the new method on for size before agreeing to use it. [Late 1600s]

  2. Test the effectiveness or acceptability of something, as in The actors decided to try on the new play out of town. [Late 1800s] Also see try out.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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