to attempt, to try, to experiment, to make an experiment of; to prove, to assay, to put to the test; to tempt, to sound, to try; to tempt, to allure, to entice.
va.
essayer, expérimenter, faire l'expérience, l'essai de; éprouver, mettre à l'épreuve; tenter, essayer, sonder; tenter, chercher à séduire.