effort (redirected from effortful)

* A for effort

Fig. acknowledgement for having tried to do something, even if it was not successful. (*Typically: get ~; give someone ~.) The plan didn't work, but I'll give you an A for effort for trying.

*an all-out effort

a very good and thorough effort. (*Typically: begin ~; have ~; make ~; start ~.) We need to make an all-out effort to get this job done on time. The government began an all-out effort to reduce the federal budget.

*last-ditch effort

Fig. a final effort; the last possible attempt. (*Typically: be ~; have ~; make ~.) I made one last-ditch effort to get her to stay. It was a last-ditch effort. I didn't expect it to work.

make every effort to do something

to try very hard to accomplish something. I will make every effort to be there on time.

See also: every, make

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spare no effort to do something

to work as hard as possible to achieve something Emergency services have spared no effort to help people whose homes were destroyed by the tornadoes.

Related vocabulary: spare no expense

See also: spare