endeavor

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English

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Alternative forms

Etymology

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(deprecated template usage)

The verb is from Middle English endeveren (“to make an effort”); the noun is from Middle English endevour, from the verb. Endeveren is from (putten) in dever (“(to put oneself) in duty”), from in + dever (“duty”), partially translating Middle French (se mettre) en devoir (de faire) (“(to make it) one's duty (to do), to endeavour (to do)”) (from Old French devoir, deveir (“duty”)).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /ɪnˈdɛv.ə/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 95: Parameter 1 should be a valid language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL. IPA(key): /ɛnˈdɛv.ɚ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ)

Noun

endeavor (plural endeavors) (American spelling)

  1. A sincere attempt; a determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal.

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

endeavor (third-person singular simple present endeavors, present participle endeavoring, simple past and past participle endeavored) (American spelling)

  1. (obsolete) To exert oneself. [15th-17th c.]
    • (Can we date this quote by Alexander Pope and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      And such were praised who but endeavoured well.
  2. (intransitive) To attempt through application of effort (to do something); to try strenuously. [from 16th c.]
    • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral (London: Oxford University Press, 1973), § 2:
      The other species of philosophers consider man in the light of a reasonable rather than an active being, and endeavour to form his understanding more than cultivate his manners.
  3. (obsolete, transitive) To attempt (something). [16th-17th c.]
    • (Can we date this quote by Ld. Chatham and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      It is our duty to endeavour the recovery of these beneficial subjects.
    • 1669 May 18, Sir Isaac Newton, Letter (to Francis Aston):
      If you be affronted, it is better, in a foreign country, to pass it by in silence, and with a jest, though with some dishonour, than to endeavour revenge; for, in the first case, your credit's ne'er the worse when you return into England, or come into other company that have not heard of the quarrel.
  4. To work with purpose.
    • 2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist‎[1], volume 100, number 2, page 162:
      He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

Synonyms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Anagrams

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