different between attempt vs exertion

English

Etymology

Late 14th century, as Middle English attempten, from Old French atempter, from Latin attempt? (“I try, solicit”), from ad (“to”) + temptare, more correctly tentare (“to try”); see tempt.The noun is from the 1530s, the sense "an assault on somebody's life, assassination attempt" (French attentat) is from 1580.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?mpt/
• Rhymes: -?mpt

Verb

attempt (third-person singular simple present attempts, present participle attempting, simple past and past participle attempted)

1. To try.

   I attempted to sing, but my throat was too hoarse.

   to attempt an escape from prison

   • 1842, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Village Blacksmith

     Something attempted, something done, / Has earned a night's repose.
2. (obsolete) To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt.
   • c. 1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

     Yet since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you.
3. (archaic) To try to win, subdue, or overcome.

   one who attempts the virtue of a woman
4. (archaic) To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force.

   to attempt the enemy's camp

   • 1830, John Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic

     without attempting his adversary's life

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• take a stab at, take a run at

Translations

Noun

attempt (plural attempts)

1. The action of trying at something. [1530]

   We made an attempt to cross the stream, but didn't manage.

   This poem is much better than the feeble attempt of mine.

   It was worth the attempt.

   No matter how many failed attempts we made, we maintained a positive attitude and tried again and again until we succeeded.
2. An assault or attack, especially an assassination attempt. [1580]
   • 1584 No man can charge us of any attempt against the realm. (Allen's Defence Of English Catholics, cited after Edinburgh review 1883, p. 378)

Usage notes

• Adjectives often applied to "attempt": first, failed, desperate, last, half-hearted, unsuccessful, serious, successful, feeble, new, honest, vain, sincere, ambitious, earnest, clumsy, direct, hard, brilliant, official, useless, clever, sophisticated, amateurish.

Synonyms

• effort
• try

Translations

Further reading

• attempt in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• attempt in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• attempt at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???z???n/

Noun

exertion (countable and uncountable, plural exertions)

1. An expenditure of physical or mental effort.

Related terms

• exert

Translations