try one's hand

try (one's) hand (at something)

To attempt to do something new; to try something for the first time. I need a new hobby. Maybe I'll try my hand at painting! Thanks for letting Janet come to rugby practice with you. I know she's eager to try her hand.

See also: hand, try

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

try one's hand

1. Attempt to do something for the first time, as in I thought I'd try my hand at snorkeling. This idiom uses try in the sense of "ascertain by experiment or effort," a usage dating from the late 1500s.

2. Also, try one's luck. Take a chance doing something, as in We thought we'd try our luck at getting a hotel room at the last minute.

See also: hand, try

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.