Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TRY, v.t.

1. To examine; to make experiment on; to prove by experiment. Come, try upon yourselves what you have seen me. Shak.
2. To experience; to have knowledge by experience of. Or try the Libyan heat, or Scythian cold. Dryden.
3. To prove by a test; as, to try weights and measures by a standard; to try one's opinions by the divine oracles.
4. To act upon as a test. The fire sev'n times tried this. Shak.
5. To examine judicially by witnesses and the principles of law; as, causes tried in court.
6. To essay; to attempt. Let us try advent'rous work. Milton.
7. To purify; to refine; as, silver seven times tried.
8. To search carefully into. Ps. xi.
9. To use as means; as, to try remedies for a disease.
10. To strain; as, to try the eyes; the literal sense of the word. To try on, to put on a garment to see if it fits the person. To try tallow, &c. is to melt and separate it from the membranes. To try out, to pursue efforts till a decision is obtained.