endeavor

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A conscientious or concerted effort toward an end; an earnest attempt.
2. n. Purposeful or industrious activity; enterprise.
3. v. To attempt (fulfillment of a responsibility or an obligation, for example) by employment or expenditure of effort: endeavored to improve the quality of life in the inner city.
4. v. To work with a set or specified goal or purpose.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To put, apply, or exert (one's self) to do a thing: used reflexively.
2. To attempt to gain; try to effect; strive to achieve or attain; strive after.
3. To labor or exert one's self to do or effect something; strive; try; make an effort: followed by an infinitive.
4. To direct one's efforts or labor toward some object or end; fix one's course; aim: with at, for, or after.
5. Synonyms Undertake, Endeavor, etc. (see attempt); to seek, aim, struggle.
6. n. An effort; an essay; an attempt; an exertion of physical or mental powers toward the attainment of an object.
7. n. Synonyms Struggle, trial.

Wiktionary

1. n. A sincere attempt. A determined or assiduous effort towards a specific goal.
2. n. Enterprise; assiduous or persistent activity.
3. v. To attempt through application of effort.
4. v. To work with purpose.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To exert physical or intellectual strength for the attainment of; to use efforts to effect; to strive to achieve or reach; to try; to attempt.
2. v. To exert one's self; to work for a certain end.
3. n. An exertion of physical or intellectual strength toward the attainment of an object; a systematic or continuous attempt; an effort; a trial.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. attempt by employing effort
2. n. a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
3. n. earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something