In 7 pl. essaies, -yes. [a. OF. essai, essay: see ASSAY sb. For several of the senses see also SAY.
In 18th c. the accent. was sometimes on the 2nd syll.]
I. The action or process of trying or testing.
† 1. A trial, testing, proof; experiment; = ASSAY sb. 1, 3. Obs.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., cx. (1609), G iij b. Worse essaies prou’d thee my best of loue.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. vii. § 7. Hh 1 b. Democritus … attributed the form thereof [of the ‘frame of things’] able to maintaine it self to infinite essaies or proofes of Nature.
1631. Heylin, St. George, 247. I will make bold to venture on it, by way of tryall and essay.
1648. Eikon Bas., 26. It was the first overt Essay to be made, how patiently I could bear the loss of my kingdoms.
1660. Sharrock, Vegetables, Ep. Ded. A ij b. But you were pleased to judge me able, and … to propose … that I should make an essay of that ability.
1704. Addison, Italy (1733), 195. After having made Essays into it, as they do for Coal in England.
1745. De Foe’s Eng. Tradesman, I. xii. 98. He has made an essay by which he knows what he can, and cannot do.
1812. J. J. Henry, Camp. agst. Quebec, 28. From the essays made, it seemed to me that [etc.].
† b. spec. The trial of metals; = ASSAY 6. Obs.
1668. in Phil. Trans., III. 821. The Ore being ground … they divide it in several heaps, and then by lesser Essays, they find out how much silver is contained in every heap.
1731–6. in Bailey (folio).
† 2. A trial specimen, a sample, an example; a rehearsal. Cf. ASSAY 17. Obs.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 22. An essay also of that ages vnhappie affectation of Greek patchs.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Essay, a flourish or preamble.
1659. Hammond, On Ps. cvi. 16–18 Paraphr. 532. Two terrible essayes of Gods wrath were here shewed.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1704), III. XV. 498. A small essay of my zeal for … your Majesty.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth, II. 55. These are lesser essays or preludes to the general fire.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), VII. XVI. § 9. 110. Gave an essay in this first action of what might be expected one day from his valour and bravery.
† 3. Venery. a. = ASSAY 9. In phrase To take essay. b. concr. The part of a deer in which trial was made of the ‘grease’; the breast or brisket.
1611. Cotgr., Foulz … cut out from betweene the necke, and the essay of a Deere.
1658. Phillips, s.v. Essay, The Essay of a Deer is the breast or brisket … in French la hampe.
1694. Acct. Denmark in 1692 (ed. 3), 160. One that is likeliest to give a good Gratuity to the Huntsman, is invited to take Essay.
† 4. A taste, or first taste, of food or drink presented to a great personage; = ASSAY 12. Obs. exc. Hist.
1598. in Florio s.v. Fare la credenza.
1632. in Cotgr.
1682. G. Rose, Sch. Instruct. Officers Mouth, 16. The Master-Cook is desired not to forget his Larding-pricks, nor the Master-Butler his Essay. Ibid., 94. Let him [the Royal Butler] bring in his Wine, present his Bason and Ewer to wash, take his Essay both of Wine and Water.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. iii. (1741), 168. A Viscount may have a Cover of Essay holden under his Cup while he drinks, but no Essay taken as Dukes, Marquisses and Earls may have.
II. A trying to do something.
5. An attempt, endeavor. Const. after, at, † of, on, towards, and to with inf.
1598. Yong, Diana, 77. They were all but papers of essaies Of that.
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., vii. (1821), 364. Languishing creatures … we are, in our essays after heaven.
1682. Dryden, Satyr, 1.
| Whose first Essay was in a Tyrants praise, | |
| Bawdy in Prologues, Blasphemous in Plays. |
1738. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., IV. 316. Essays … to encourage the raising some of these Commodities.
1762. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., v. (1763), 74. The first rude Essays towards an expressive Melody in barbarous Countries.
1778. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., viii. (1876), 447. An artist, in his first essay of imitating nature.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 325. Our first essay was along a mountain brook.
1853. C. Brontë, Villette, viii. Is this your first essay at teaching?
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 206. Making a preliminary essay upon the glacier.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, Introd. 1. But I am now in this, my second essay at authorship, cheered by [etc.].
b. concr. The result of an attempt. nonce-use.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VII. 41/32.
| These Branches of a Stag, this tusky Boar | |
| (The first essay of Arms untry’d before). |
† 6. A hostile attempt. Obs.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), I. 229. The King at Canterbury grants him a generall protection from all Essayes for a year following.
† 7. A first tentative effort in learning or practice: = ASSAY 16. Obs.
1656. Cowley, Pindar. Odes, Pref. This Essay is but to try how it [Pindar’s Poetry] will look in an English Habit.
1663. J. Spencer, Prodigies, Pref. B. Admiration is … an Essay to knowledge.
1665–9. Boyle, Disc. Occas. Medit., Wks. 1772, II. 356. The green and immature essays of early Writers.
1700. Dryden, Fables (1773), Pref. The first of Homer’s Iliads (which I intended as an Essay to the whole work).
1723. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), I. 64. My hand is yet untaught to write to men; This is th’ essay of my unpractis’d pen.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 377. These were considered only as essays preparatory to the great design.
b. A rough copy; a first draft.
1656. J. Harrington, Oceana (1700), 174. The List … enter’d in the Parish Book, and diligently preserv’d as a Record, call’d the first Essay.
1793. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), I. 417. I have made an essay of a letter.
8. A composition of moderate length on any particular subject, or branch of a subject; originally implying want of finish, ‘an irregular undigested piece’ (J.), but now said of a composition more or less elaborate in style, though limited in range.
The use in this sense is app. taken from Montaigne, whose Essais were first published in 1580.
1597. Bacon (title), Essayes. Ibid. (1607–12), Essays, Ded. Prince Henry (Arb.), 158. For Senacaes Epistles … are but Essaies,—That is dispersed Meditations … Essaies. The word is late, but the thing is auncient.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., Addr. 16. No higher title, then that of an ESSAY, or imperfect offer at a Subject.
1684. Dryden, Poem to Roscommon, in Ess. Tr. Verse (J.).
| Yet modestly he does his Work survey, | |
| And calls his finish’d Poem an ESSAY. |
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 476, ¶ 1. The Wildness of those Compositions which go by the Names of Essays.
1764. Reid, Inquiry, Ded. p. xii. Leaves me no room to doubt or your favourable acceptance of this essay.
1782. V. Knox, Ess. (1819), I. i. 1. Essays … may now convey the idea of regular treatises.
1843. Macaulay (title), Critical and Historical Essays.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., II. i. She could write a little essay on any subject.
III. 9. Phrase, In all essays: under all circumstances. Obs. Cf. ASSAY 21, 22.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., 20. And so likewise I have shown you thus much of the Practick part of Navigation, in which you may perceive that I have wrought the Ship in all Essays, in Words and proper Sea-Phrases; and if I was at Sea, I should perform it both in Word and Deed.
10. attrib. and Comb., as essay-weaver, -writer; also essay-hatch (see quot.); essay-scale, a test-scale.
1721–1800. Bailey, *Essay Hatch, [among Miners] a Term for a little Trench or Hole which they dig to search for Oar.
1684. R. Waller, Nat. Exper., 149. Putting in the *Essay-Scales two Steel Wires of equal Weight.
1884. Punch, 16 Feb., 84/1. And twaddling *essay-weavers, mild boilers-down of Lamb!
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), III. 97. We *essay-writers are of the small-craft, or galley-kind.
1847. Helps, Friends in C., I. 27. The fault into which you essay-writers generally fall.
