a try (at something)

a try (at something)

A chance or opportunity to do or attempt something. Well, I haven't fixed a motor in nearly 10 years, but I'll certainly make a try at it. You had your chance, now let your brother have a try at breaking the piñata. Give Sarah a try at the equation. I bet she can solve it!

See also: try

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*try at someone

 and *shot at someone; *crack at someone; *go at someone *stab at someone

an attempt to convince someone of something; an attempt to try to get information out of someone; an attempt to try to train someone to do something. (The expressions with shot and crack are more informal than the main entry phrase. (*Typically: take ~; have ~; give someone ~.) Let me have a crack at him. I can make him talk. Let the new teacher have a try at Billy. She can do marvels with unwilling learners. Give me a crack at him. I know how to make these bums talk.

See also: try

*try at something

 and *shot at something; *crack at something; *go at something; *stab at something; *whack at something

to take a turn at trying to do something. (*Typically: take ~; have ~; give someone ~.) All of us wanted to have a try at the prize-winning shot. Let Sally have a shot at it. If you let me have a crack at it, maybe I can be successful.

See also: try

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.