{
    "term": "attempt",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an act of trying to do something, especially something difficult, often with no success",
            "sensetop": "attempt to do somethingin an attempt to do somethingattempt at somethingattempt at doing something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I passed my driving test **at the first attempt**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They **made no attempt** to escape.",
                    "contextForm": "attempt to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The launch will go ahead despite the failure of previous attempts to create an online business."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Why have **repeated attempts** to find a permanent solution to the problem failed?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were frustrated in their attempts to get an explanation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has failed in three previous attempts to win the world title."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Two factories were closed in an attempt to cut costs.",
                    "contextForm": "in an attempt to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The couple made an unsuccessful attempt at a compromise.",
                    "contextForm": "attempt at something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were praised for making an attempt at solving the problem.",
                    "contextForm": "attempt at doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "That's not bad for a first attempt."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Rescue attempts were stopped because of bad weather."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In an attempt to ward off criticism, the government has made education a priority."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has made no attempt to contact her mother."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The board said it would resist any attempt to take control of the company."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their attempt to break out of prison was foiled."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We closed the windows in a vain attempt to shut out the noise."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Last night there was a desperate attempt to reach survivors of the accident."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were arrested after a failed coup attempt."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She smiled at my feeble attempt at humour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I made a half-hearted attempt at cleaning my apartment."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["successful", "abortive", "botched"],
                "verb + attempt": ["make", "succeed in", "abandon"],
                "attempt + verb": ["succeed", "fail"],
                "preposition": ["in an/​the attempt", "attempt at", "attempt by"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an attempt on somebody’s life",
                    "at the first, second, etc. attempt",
                    "in the first, second, etc. attempt"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "an act of trying to kill somebody",
            "sensetop": "attempt on somebody/sb’s life",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Someone has **made an attempt on** the president's **life**.",
                    "contextForm": "attempt on somebody/sb’s life"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an **assassination attempt**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a murder/suicide attempt"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["successful", "abortive", "botched"],
                "verb + attempt": ["make", "succeed in", "abandon"],
                "attempt + verb": ["succeed", "fail"],
                "preposition": ["in an/​the attempt", "attempt at", "attempt by"],
                "phrases": [
                    "an attempt on somebody’s life",
                    "at the first, second, etc. attempt",
                    "in the first, second, etc. attempt"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "an effort to do better than something, such as a very good performance in sport",
            "sensetop": "attempt (on something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "his attempt on the world land speed record"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a world-record attempt"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a thing that you produce as a result of trying to make or achieve something",
            "sensetop": "attempt (at something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was clearly pleased with his first attempt at a cake."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈtempt/",
                "audio": "at/attempt/attempt__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈtempt/",
                "audio": "at/attempt/attempt__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Old French attempter, from Latin attemptare, from ad- ‘to’ + temptare ‘to tempt’."
}