different between attempt vs matchmaking

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

Alternative forms

• match-making

Etymology

match +? making

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?mæt??me?k??/

Noun

matchmaking (countable and uncountable, plural matchmakings)

1. An attempt to make two people romantically interested in each other, especially an attempt to set up a date between people or to arrange a marriage.
   • 1851: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin

     The marriage was highly approved of by Mrs. Shelby, who, with a little womanly complacency in match-making, felt pleased to unite her handsome favorite with one of her own class who seemed in every way suited to her;

   • 2001: The Gilmore Girls (TV, episode 1.18)

     Patty, your timing is excellent. There's Claude over there. Want me to do some matchmaking?

   • 1815: Jane Austen, Emma

     I planned the match from that hour; and when such success has blessed me in this instance, dear papa, you cannot think that I shall leave off match-making.

2. (business) A service aiming to bring together sellers and buyers or potential partners.
   • 1971: Eunice L. Watson and Arthur Cope Emlem, Matchmaking in Neighborhood Day Care: A Descriptive Study of the Day Care Neighbor Service [1]

     ... there was evidence that they did provide information for day care matchmaking to the potential users and givers of care.

3. (video games) The act or process of locating suitable players to take part in a multiplayer game session.
4. The manufacture of matches for kindling or burning.

Related terms

• matchmake
• matchmaker

Translations

Verb

matchmaking

1. present participle of matchmake