Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
ESSAY
I. transitive verb
Date: 14th century
to put to a test, to make an often tentative or experimental effort to perform ; try , see: attempt essayer noun
II. noun see: agent
Date: 14th century
trial , test ,
2. effort , attempt , the result or product of an attempt,
3. an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view, something resembling such a composition , a proof of an unaccepted design for a stamp or piece of paper money