Took a stab at

Usage examples of essayed.

Arcole essayed a brief smile and ducked his head as if bidding the man farewell.

He continued his forward movement until he had his left hand clasped on the short barrel of the woman's weapon, but when he essayed to jerk it from out her grasp, he discovered it to be fastened to the webbing belt cinching her waist.

It was when they essayed the exit-entrance channel again that the danger of those yawning metal maws grinning down from out their emplacements in those ancient stone walls would become most real and pressing.

I actually hight Essayed Ali ibn Hussain, a knight of Arabia, in service as herald to his grace.

Those who essayed to walk stumbled and swayed on weak and wobbly legs, looking like nothing so much as helpless, hapless inebriates as they sprawled on the slimy stones of the quay.

I actually am Essayed Ali ibn Hussain, a knight of Arabia, in service as herald to his grace, Sir Sebastian Foster, Duke of Norfolk, Markgraf von Velegrad, Earl of Rutland, Baron of Strathtyne, and Lord Commander of the Royal Horse of his majesty, Arthur III Tudor, King of England and Wales.

I actually hight Essayed Ali ibn Hussain, a knight of Arabia, in service as herald to his grace, Sir Sebastian Foster, Duke of Norfolk, Markgraf von Velegrad, Earl of Rutland, Baron of Strathtyne, and Lord Commander of the Royal Horse of his majesty, Arthur III Tudor, King of England and Wales.

Kionski essayed a few dry rasping coughs, then he looked up, his expression far more genuinely indignant.

I imagined the current which swept through me every time I essayed that complex way.

Our entire course had a constant, wavery twilight atmosphere to it, no matter that a few paces away—which brief excursion we essayed many times—it might be high noon or midnight.

He wove warily to the right, clashed aside a couple of probing strokes that were meant only to mislead, and essayed a few of his own no less guilefully.

He essayed a smile that sat badly askew upon his smooth features, and faded blankly when Isambard gave no sign of withdrawing the proffered hilt.

When Carley essayed to get off Glenn tried to stop her, saying she could see well enough from there.

But when she essayed to remove it from her face she discovered she would need a towel and soap and hot water.

Helen unlaced one and, opening it wide, essayed to get her sore foot down into it.