24 uses
(click/touch triangles for details)
Definition
to attempt; or a project or activity attempted
- I endeavoured to stop them as well as I could.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (88% in)
endeavoured = tried or attempted
(editor's note: This is a British spelling. Americans use endeavored.)
(editor's note: This is a British spelling. Americans use endeavored.)
- However, in my opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as generous: for, supposing these people had endeavoured to kill me with their spears and arrows, while I was asleep, I should certainly have awaked with the first sense of smart, which might so far have roused my rage and strength, as to have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I was tied; after which, as they were not able to make resistance, so they could expect no mercy.Part 1 — A Voyage to Lilliput (12% in)
- But I endeavoured to divert him from this design, by many arguments drawn from the topics of policy as well as justice; and I plainly protested, "that I would never be an instrument of bringing a free and brave people into slavery."Part 1 — A Voyage to Lilliput (56% in)
- In the several debates upon this impeachment, it must be confessed that his majesty gave many marks of his great lenity; often urging the services you had done him, and endeavouring to extenuate your crimes.Part 1 — A Voyage to Lilliput (82% in)
- I was endeavouring to find some gap in the hedge, when I discovered one of the inhabitants in the next field, advancing towards the stile, of the same size with him whom I saw in the sea pursuing our boat.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (4% in)
- He considered awhile, with the caution of one who endeavours to lay hold on a small dangerous animal in such a manner that it shall not be able either to scratch or bite him, as I myself have sometimes done with a weasel in England.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (7% in)
- I was pressed to do more than one thing which another could not do for me, and therefore endeavoured to make my mistress understand, that I desired to be set down on the floor; which after she had done, my bashfulness would not suffer me to express myself farther, than by pointing to the door, and bowing several times.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (17% in)
- After much debate, they concluded unanimously, that I was only relplum scalcath, which is interpreted literally lusus naturae; a determination exactly agreeable to the modern philosophy of Europe, whose professors, disdaining the old evasion of occult causes, whereby the followers of Aristotle endeavoured in vain to disguise their ignorance, have invented this wonderful solution of all difficulties, to the unspeakable advancement of human knowledge.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (32% in)
- When I attempted to catch any of these birds, they would boldly turn against me, endeavouring to peck my fingers, which I durst not venture within their reach; and then they would hop back unconcerned, to hunt for worms or snails, as they did before.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (51% in)
- This made me reflect, how vain an attempt it is for a man to endeavour to do himself honour among those who are out of all degree of equality or comparison with him.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (60% in)
- This was my sincere endeavour in those many discourses I had with that monarch, although it unfortunately failed of success.Part 2 — A Voyage to Brobdingnag (75% in)
- But I had soon reason to repent those foolish words: for that malicious reprobate, having often endeavoured in vain to persuade both the captains that I might be thrown into the sea (which they would not yield to, after the promise made me that I should not die), however, prevailed so far, as to have a punishment inflicted on me, worse, in all human appearance, than death itself.Part 3 — A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, .... (3% in)
- The dog died on the spot, and we left the doctor endeavouring to recover him, by the same operation.Part 3 — A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, .... (44% in)
- I therefore told the officer, "that having been shipwrecked on the coast of Balnibarbi, and cast on a rock, I was received up into Laputa, or the flying island (of which he had often heard), and was now endeavouring to get to Japan, whence I might find a convenience of returning to my own country."Part 3 — A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, .... (77% in)
- I could frequently distinguish the word Yahoo, which was repeated by each of them several times: and although it was impossible for me to conjecture what it meant, yet while the two horses were busy in conversation, I endeavoured to practise this word upon my tongue; and as soon as they were silent, I boldly pronounced Yahoo in a loud voice, imitating at the same time, as near as I could, the neighing of a horse; at which they were both visibly surprised; and the gray repeated the same...Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (8% in)
- ] My principal endeavour was to learn the language, which my master (for so I shall henceforth call him), and his children, and every servant of his house, were desirous to teach me; for they looked upon it as a prodigy, that a brute animal should discover such marks of a rational creature.Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (17% in)
- To clear up which, I endeavoured to give some ideas of the desire of power and riches; of the terrible effects of lust, intemperance, malice, and envy.Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (30% in)
- ...natural corruptions, and to acquire new ones, which nature had not given us; that we disarmed ourselves of the few abilities she had bestowed; had been very successful in multiplying our original wants, and seemed to spend our whole lives in vain endeavours to supply them by our own inventions; that, as to myself, it was manifest I had neither the strength nor agility of a common Yahoo; that I walked infirmly on my hinder feet; had found out a contrivance to make my claws of no use or...Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (50% in)
- However, I once caught a young male of three years old, and endeavoured, by all marks of tenderness, to make it quiet; but the little imp fell a squalling, and scratching, and biting with such violence, that I was forced to let it go; and it was high time, for a whole troop of old ones came about us at the noise, but finding the cub was safe (for away it ran), and my sorrel nag being by, they durst not venture near us.Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (58% in)
- He added, how I had endeavoured to persuade him, that in my own and other countries, the Yahoos acted as the governing, rational animal, and held the Houyhnhnms in servitude; that he observed in me all the qualities of a Yahoo, only a little more civilized by some tincture of reason, which, however, was in a degree as far inferior to the Houyhnhnm race, as the Yahoos of their country were to me; that, among other things, I mentioned a custom we had of castrating Houyhnhnms when they...Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (67% in)
- He concluded, "that for his own part, he could have been content to keep me in his service as long as I lived; because he found I had cured myself of some bad habits and dispositions, by endeavouring, as far as my inferior nature was capable, to imitate the Houyhnhnms."Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (77% in)
- ...be shaken by arguments of mine, a miserable Yahoo; and therefore, after presenting him with my humble thanks for the offer of his servants' assistance in making a vessel, and desiring a reasonable time for so difficult a work, I told him I would endeavour to preserve a wretched being; and if ever I returned to England, was not without hopes of being useful to my own species, by celebrating the praises of the renowned Houyhnhnms, and proposing their virtues to the imitation of mankind."Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (79% in)
- The captain, a wise man, after many endeavours to catch me tripping in some part of my story, at last began to have a better opinion of my veracity.Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (88% in)
- Therefore, since my acquaintance were pleased to think my poor endeavours might not be unacceptable to my country, I imposed on myself, as a maxim never to be swerved from, that I would strictly adhere to truth; neither indeed can I be ever under the least temptation to vary from it, while I retain in my mind the lectures and example of my noble master and the other illustrious Houyhnhnms of whom I had so long the honour to be an humble hearer.Part 4 — A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnms (93% in)
There are no more uses of "endeavor" in Gulliver's Travels.
Typical Usage
(best examples)