essays

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of essay.

   The collection gathers a dozen essays on modern art.

   Reviewers praised the essays for their clarity and wit.

   Note

   Most often these are pieces of prose, but the plural carries every noun meaning of essay with it. To a stamp or banknote collector, essays are proposed designs for a stamp or note. In older writing, essays can be attempts or tests, close kin to assays. The same spelling also serves as the verb form "she essays", so the surrounding grammar tells you which one you are reading.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of essay.

   The young pianist essays a difficult sonata at every recital.

   Whenever the path narrows, she essays the crossing with great caution.

   Note

   A dated verb form that keeps the old sense of trying. A performer essays a sonata and a walker essays a crossing, with the thing attempted following directly as the object. A second, intransitive use means moving forth, as into battle, and takes no object at all. In everyday prose, tries or attempts is the plain choice. Essays lends a deliberate, bookish air.

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