πειράω
Etym. πεῖρα
A. Act. "to attempt, endeavour, try" to do, c. inf., Il., Hdt., etc.
II. c. gen. pers. "to make trial of" one, Il.: in hostile sense, "to make an attempt on", Hom., Hdt.
III. absol. "to try one's fortune, try one's skill in thieving", Hhymn.; ναυσὶ π. "to make an attempt" by sea, Thuc.; cf. πειρατής.
IV. c. acc. pers. "to make an attempt on", Ar.
B. Dep. in the same sense, c. inf. "to try to" do, Il., Hdt.;—also foll. by εἰ, "to try" whether, Il.; by μή, Od.
II. most commonly, c. gen.,
1. c. gen. pers. "to make trial of" one, to see whether he is trustworthy, Hom., Hdt.:—also in hostile sense, "to make trial of the strength" of an enemy, Il.; π. τῆς Πελοποννήσου "to make an attempt" on it, Hdt.; τοῦ τείχους Thuc.
2. c. gen. rei, "to make proof or trial of" one's strength, Hom.:— "to try one's chance at or in" a work or contest, id=Hom.:—also "to make proof" of a thing, to see what it is good for, τόξου, νευρῆς Od.:— "to make proof of, have experience of, make acquaintance with" others, Hdt., Thuc.
3. absol. "to try one's fortune, try the chances of war", Il.
III. c. dat. modi, "to make a trial or attempt with", ἐπειρήσαντο πόδεσσι "tried their luck" in the foot-race, Od.; σφαίρηι πειρήσαντο id=Od.; also, π. σὺν ἔντεσι, σὺν τεύχεσι πειρηθῆναι Il.
IV. c. acc. rei, ἢ ἕκαστα πειρήσαιτο or should "examine into" each particular, Od.
2. c. acc. pers. "to make an attempt on", Pind.