Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TRY, v.i. [This word is from the root of Dan. trekker, to draw, or trykker, Sw. trycka, to press, to urge; trachta, to seek or strive to obtain; D. tragten, to endeavor; Dan. tragter, id. The primary sense of all these words is to strain, to use effort, to stretch forward.]

To exert strength; to endeavor; to make an effort; to attempt. Try to learn; try to lift a weight. The horses tried to draw the load. [These phrases give the true sense.]