EFFORT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does effort mean? 

• EFFORT (noun)
  The noun EFFORT has 4 senses:

1. earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

2. use of physical or mental energy; hard work

3. a notable achievement

4. a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end

  Familiarity information: EFFORT used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EFFORT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try

Context example:

she gave it a good try

Hypernyms ("effort" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "effort"):

contribution; part; share (the effort contributed by a person in bringing about a result)

test; trial (the act of undergoing testing)

run; test; trial (the act of testing something)

takeover attempt (an attempt to take control of a corporation)

battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)

nisus; pains; strain; striving (an effortful attempt to attain a goal)

shot (an attempt to score in a game)

shot; stab (informal words for any attempt or effort)

seeking (an attempt to acquire or gain something)

power play; squeeze; squeeze play (an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power)

liberation (the attempt to achieve equal rights or status)

foray (an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence))

essay (a tentative attempt)

crack; fling; go; offer; pass; whirl (a usually brief attempt)

bid; play (an attempt to get something)

worst (the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of)

best (the supreme effort one can make)

batting ((baseball) the batter's attempt to get on base)

mug's game (a futile or unprofitable endeavor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Use of physical or mental energy; hard work

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

effort; elbow grease; exertion; sweat; travail

Context example:

they managed only with great exertion

Hypernyms ("effort" is a kind of...):

labor; labour; toil (productive work (especially physical work done for wages))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "effort"):

supererogation (an effort above and beyond the call of duty)

detrition; friction; rubbing (effort expended in moving one object over another with pressure)

overexertion (excessive exertion; so much exertion that discomfort or injury results)

overkill (any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal)

application; diligence (a diligent effort)

pull (a sustained effort)

exercise; exercising; physical exercise; physical exertion; workout (the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit)

strain; straining (an intense or violent exertion)

least effort; least resistance (the least effortful way to do something)

difficulty; trouble (an effort that is inconvenient)

struggle (strenuous effort)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A notable achievement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

effort; exploit; feat

Context example:

the book was her finest effort

Hypernyms ("effort" is a kind of...):

accomplishment; achievement (the action of accomplishing something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "effort"):

hit ((baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball))

rally; rallying (the feat of mustering strength for a renewed effort)

stunt (a difficult or unusual or dangerous feat; usually done to gain attention)

tour de force (a masterly or brilliant feat)

derring-do (brave and heroic feats)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

campaign; cause; crusade; drive; effort; movement

Context example:

contributed to the war effort

Hypernyms ("effort" is a kind of...):

venture (any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "effort"):

youth crusade; youth movement (political or religious or social reform movement or agitation consisting chiefly of young people)

war (a concerted campaign to end something that is injurious)

reform (a campaign aimed to correct abuses or malpractices)

lost cause (a defeated cause or a cause for which defeat is inevitable)

gay lib; gay liberation movement (the movement aimed at liberating homosexuals from legal or social or economic oppression)

feminism; feminist movement; women's lib; women's liberation movement (the movement aimed at equal rights for women)

fund-raising campaign; fund-raising drive; fund-raising effort (a campaign to raise money for some cause)

campaigning; candidacy; candidature; electioneering; political campaign (the campaign of a candidate to be elected)

consumerism (a movement advocating greater protection of the interests of consumers)

charm campaign (a campaign of flattery and friendliness (by a company, politician, etc.) to become more popular and gain support)

anti-war movement (a campaign against entering or continuing a war)

ad blitz; ad campaign; advertising campaign (an organized program of advertisements)

 Context examples 

But for all his efforts he could not get his balance, and over he went.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he spoke he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, straightened it out again.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When Madge had said that it was too bad, he made another futile effort to go.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

So it was that Martin was glad to sell his early efforts for songs.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Yes, I am not very well,” answered the other, making obvious efforts to pull himself together, and licking his dry lips before he spoke.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

After a long spell she seemed sinking off to sleep, but with an effort seemed to pull herself together and shook it off.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She dropped on her face, before the imperious figure in the chair, with an imploring effort to clasp the skirt of her dress.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

By convulsive efforts he got on his feet, staggered, and fell.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“Unless, of course, you have grown tired of my poor efforts.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

NIH Emphasis Area — The result of efforts in chemistry, structural biology, genetics, and cellular and molecular biology are providing new means to design therapies for a variety of diseases.

(New Avenues for the Development of Therapeutics, NCI Thesaurus)