endeavour

Sayin-DEV-uhUK/ɪnˈdɛv.ə//ɪnˈdev.ə/in-DEV-er/ɪnˈdɛv.ɚ/

Verbendeavours, endeavouring, endeavoured

2 meanings of endeavour

1
effortnouncountable or uncountable
A sincere and determined attempt to achieve a particular aim; also, hard and persistent activity in general.
The new hospital wing is the result of years of shared endeavour by the whole town.
In an endeavour to cut waiting times, the surgery has started opening on Saturday mornings.
UsageCommon in in an endeavour to do something and in good wishes for someone's future endeavours.
Similareffort, attempt, bid, undertaking
Note
The noun was made from the verb, and both go back to a phrase about duty: Middle English putten in dever, 'to put oneself in duty', partly translating French se mettre en devoir, 'to make it one's duty'.
2
try hardverbintransitive
To make a strenuous effort to do something.
Station staff endeavour to keep the platforms clear of ice during cold spells.
Throughout the inquiry, the committee has endeavoured to hear from every family affected.
UsageFollowed by to + verb (endeavour to reply); weightier than try, it suits promises like we will endeavour to.
Similarstrive, try, attempt, seek, aim

Practice

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Origin

The verb goes back to Middle English endeveren, 'to make an effort', and the noun, Middle English endevour, was formed from that verb. Endeveren grew out of the phrase (putten) in dever, '(to put oneself) in duty', made of in and dever, 'duty'. The phrase is a partial translation of the Middle French expression se mettre en devoir, roughly 'to make it one's duty', and French devoir itself comes from Old French devoir, deveir, 'duty'.