attempt

Hey there! Let's talk about the word attempt. While we usually think of it as a verb (like 'I will attempt to climb that hill'), when we use it as an adjective—usually in the form attempted—it takes on a specific, slightly serious tone.

Think of it as a label for a story that didn't get its happy ending. If someone attempted a task, it means they started the engine, but the car never reached the destination. It is very common in legal contexts, where judges or police need to be very precise about whether a crime was finished or just started.

It’s a helpful word because it acknowledges that someone had the intent to act. Even if things didn't go as planned, the word 'attempted' highlights that the effort was real. It’s not just a failure; it’s a failure that started with a genuine try.

The word attempt has a fancy journey through history! It comes from the Old French word attenter, which itself traces back to the Latin attentare. If you break that Latin word down, ad- means 'to' and tentare means 'to touch' or 'to try'.

So, literally, to 'attempt' is to 'touch' a goal or a problem. Over the centuries, it moved from simply 'touching' something to 'testing' or 'trying' it. By the time it entered English in the 15th century, it was already being used to describe the act of making an effort toward something difficult.

It is a classic example of how Latin roots continue to shape our modern legal and formal language. It’s fascinating that a word meaning 'to touch' evolved into a word that lawyers use to describe serious actions that didn't quite cross the finish line.

In daily life, you won't use 'attempted' as an adjective as often as you might in a formal or professional setting. You’ll hear it most often in news reports or police logs, such as an attempted robbery or an attempted escape.

It pairs very well with nouns that describe specific goals or crimes. You might hear about an attempted rescue or an attempted coup. Because it carries a weight of 'failed effort,' it’s not really used for small, casual things. You wouldn't usually say, 'I had an attempted sandwich'—that would sound very strange!

Keep in mind that the register is formal. If you are writing an essay, a police report, or a business summary, this is a perfect word to show precision. If you are just chatting with friends, you might prefer to say, 'I tried to do it, but it didn't work,' instead of using the adjective form.

While 'attempted' itself isn't the star of many idioms, the concept of trying is everywhere! Here are a few ways we talk about attempts:

• Give it a shot: To try something informally. Example: 'I've never cooked Thai food, but I'll give it a shot.'
• Take a stab at: To make an attempt at something difficult. Example: 'I’ll take a stab at fixing the sink.'
• Make an effort: To try hard. Example: 'You need to make an effort to arrive on time.'
• Go the extra mile: To make an extra attempt to ensure success. Example: 'She always goes the extra mile for her students.'
• Trial and error: Learning by making attempts and failing. Example: 'We learned how to use the software through trial and error.'

As an adjective, attempted is a past participle used to modify a noun. It is almost always placed directly before the noun it describes (e.g., 'an attempted crime').

Pronunciation is straightforward: /əˈtɛmpt/. The stress is on the second syllable, 'tempt'. It rhymes with words like exempt, contempt, and preempt. In American English, the 't' at the end is often crisp, while in some British dialects, it might be slightly softer.

Remember, because it is an adjective derived from a verb, it doesn't have a plural form itself, but it modifies nouns that can be plural. You would say 'several attempted robberies,' not 'attempteds.' Keep it simple and keep it right before the noun!