Essay, n.; pl. Essays.
Etymology: [F. essai, fr. L. exagium a weighing, weight, balance; ex out + agere to drive, do; cf. examen, exagmen, a means of weighing, a weighing, the tongue of a balance, exigere to drive out, examine, weigh, Gr. 'exagion a weight, 'exagiazein to examine, 'exagein to drive out, export. See Agent, and cf. Exact, Examine, Assay.]
1. An effort made, or exertion of body or mind, for the performance of anything; a trial; attempt; as, to make an essay to benefit a friend. "The essay at organization." M. Arnold.
2. (Lit.)
A composition treating of any particular subject; -- usually shorter and less methodical than a formal, finished treatise; as, an essay on the life and writings of Homer; an essay on fossils, or on commerce.
3. An assay. See Assay, n. [Obs.]
1 more senses
Syn. -- Attempt; trial; endeavor; effort; tract; treatise; dissertation; disquisition.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Essay, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Essaying.]
1. To exert one's power or faculties upon; to make an effort to perform; to attempt; to endeavor; to make experiment or trial of; to try. What marvel if I thus essay to sing Byron. Essaying nothing she can not perform. Emerson. A danger lest the young enthusiast . . . should essay the impossible. J. C. Shairp.
2. To test the value and purity of (metals); to assay. See Assay. [Obs.] Locke.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for essay; he lists it under endeavor.
Where he writes about it:
To attempt is with the view of accomplishing; to essay, with a view of testing our own powers. — from endeavor
An essay is an attempt, effort, or endeavor made as a test of the powers of the one who makes it. — from endeavor