2. put one's hand to a work, set to work at, attempt, “τῇ διώρυχι” Hdt.2.158 ; δρησμῷ ἐ. attempt an escape, Id.6.70 ; “τῇ ὁδῷ” Id.7.43, cf. E.Ba.819 ; “τοῖσι βασιληΐοισι” Hdt.3.61 ; “τυραννίδι” Id.5.46 ; “ἔργῳ τοσούτῳ” Id.9.27 ; λόγοις, τέχνῃ, Pl.Phdr.279a, Grg.521d, etc.; “τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις” X.Mem.2.3.5, cf. Isoc. 5.41, etc.
3. less freq. c. acc., “μεγάλα ἔργα” Thgn.75 ; “δίκαιον πρᾶγμα” Pl.Cri.45c, Phlb.57b:—Pass., to be attempted, Th.4.55, 6.31, X.Cyr.6.1.41, etc.; “τὸ ἐπιχειρούμενον” the thing attempted, Pl.Lg. 746b.
4. c. inf., endeavour, attempt to do, Hdt.3.38,65,9.42, Ar. Ra.81, Th.2.40, etc.: c. fut. inf., J.BJ6.7.3:—Pass., “ἃ τὸ πρῶτον ἐπεχειρήθη πραχθῆναι” Pl.Ep.337d, cf. Id.Ti.53a,al.
II. make an attempt on, attack, τινι Hdt.1.11,26,190, Th.3.94, Ar.V.1030, etc.; “πρός τινα” Th.7.21 ; “ἐπί τινα” Pl.Mx.241d (but ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος διαφθοράν with a view to.., Arist.Pol.1315a24); “εἰς τὰς σατραπείας” D.S.14.80: abs., Hdt.5.72, 8.108, etc.; κτείνων ἢ ἐπιχειρῶν Lexap.And.1.98:—Pass., Th.2.11.
b. sens. obsc., “ἐ. μειρακίοις” Jul.Mis.359d.
III. attempt to prove, argue dialectically, Pl.Tht.205a, Hermog.Inv.3.4; “περί τινος” Arist.Top.101a30; ἔκ τινος from a topic, ib.115a26 ; “ἔς τι” D.L.4.28 ; “ἐ. ὅτι..” Arist.Top.128b26 : abs., Id.APr.66a34 ; “λογικώτερον ἔστιν ἐπιχειρεῖν ὧδε” Id.Cael.275b12.