[with obj.]make an effort to achieve or complete (something, typically a difficult task or action) 试图做(或完成) she attempted a comeback in 1989. 她在1989年曾试图东山再起。 [with infinitive]troops shot civilians who attempted to flee. 军队击毙企图逃走的平民。 ■try to climb to the top of (a mountain) 试图登上(山顶) the expedition was the first to attempt Panch Chuli V. 那支探险队是第一个试图登上班杰楚利山第五峰的。 ■(archaic)try to take (a life) (古)企图夺取(生命) he would not have attempted the life of a friend. 他不会试图杀害朋友。
noun
an act of trying to achieve something, typically one that is unsuccessful or not certain to succeed 尝试;努力 [with infinitive]an attempt to halt the bombings. 阻止轰炸的努力。 any attempt at talking politics ended in a fit of the giggles. 每次想谈论政治都引来一阵傻笑。 an abortive coup attempt. 一次流产的政变企图。 ■an effort to surpass a record or conquer a mountain 试图打破纪录;试图征服高山 ■a bid to kill someone 企图杀害 Karakozov made an attempt on the Tsar's life. 卡拉科佐夫试刺杀死沙皇。 ■a thing produced as a result of trying to make or achieve something 尝试结果 she picked her first attempt at a letter out of the wastebasket. 她第一次从废纸篓里捡到了一封信。
派生 attemptable adjective 语源
late Middle English : from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- 'to' + temptare 'to tempt'