Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary

I.to strive after something, to attempt, essay, try, make trial of; to solicit; to assail, attack (class. in prose and poetry): “digitis mollibus arcum attemptat,” attempts to draw, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 3, 217: “aliquem lacrimis,” to attempt to move, Val. Fl. 4, 11: “praeteriri omnino fuerit satius quam attemptatum deseri,” begun, Cic. de Or. 3, 28, 110: “attemptata defectio,” the attempted revolt, Liv. 23, 15, 7 (Weissenb., temptata): “omnium inimicos diligenter cognoscere, colloqui, attemptare,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54: “Capuam propter plurimas belli opportunitates ab illā impiā et sceleratā manu attemptari suspicabamur,” i. e. moved by persuasion to revolt, id. Sest. 4: “ne compositae orationis insidiis sua fides attemptetur,” id. Or. 61, 208: “mecum facientia jura Si tamen adtemptas,” i. e. attempt to shake, attack, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 23: “nec hoc testamentum ejus quisquam attemptavit,” sought to annul, Val. Max. 7, 8, 3; so, “sententiam judicis,” Dig. 12, 6, 23: pudicitiam, to seek to defile or pollute, ib. 47, 10, 10: “annonam,” to make dearer, ib. 47, 11, 6.—Of a hostile attack: “vi attemptantem repellere,” Tac. A. 13, 25: “jam curabo sentiat, Quos attentārit,” Phaedr. 5, 2, 7: “haud illum bello attemptare juvencis Sunt animi,” Stat. Th. 4, 71.—Trop.: Quae aegritudo insolens mentem attemptat tuam? Pac. ap. Non. p. 322, 18 (Trag. Rel. p. 84 Rib.).