Perseverance - Giving Something a Try

Discover how English idioms like "trail balloon" and "have a shot at" relate to giving something a try in English.

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to [chance] {one's} [arm] [phrase]

to proceed to do something even though it is risky or unlikely to succeed

Ex: Are n't you chancing your arm a bit giving up a secure job to start up a business ?

to [find] {one's} feet [phrase]

to gain the confidence, familiarity, and skills needed to perform well in a situation that is new to one

Ex: It was hard at first , but I soon found my feet and settled into the routine .

to [get] {one's} feet wet [phrase]

to do something that one has not done before in order to become more experienced or familiar with it

Ex: Although James had no knowledge of the game before , he insisted on getting his feet wet .

to [give] {sth} a shot [phrase]

to attempt to do something, particularly something that one has not tried to do before

Ex: I do n't usually like hot tea , but it 's so cold out that I gave it a shot today .

to [give] {sth} a whirl [phrase]

to attempt to do something that one has little to no experience in

Ex: A decade ago, Whitley became enamored of romance and gave writing a whirl.

to [give] {sth} a try [phrase]

to try something to find out if it is effective, possible, good, etc.

Ex: Why do n't you give it a try instead of standing there and giving orders

to [have] a bash [phrase]

to try one's chance at something, particularly when success is not guaranteed

Ex: I do n't usually like hot tea , but it 's so cold out that I had a bash today .

to [have] a go [phrase]

to make an attempt to achieve or do something

Ex: I ’ve never played chess , but I ’ll have a go .

to [have] a shot at {sth} [phrase]

to try to do something in a successful way

Ex:

to [try] {one's} hand at {sth} [phrase]

to attempt to do something that one has no experience in

Ex:

to [have] a stab at {sth} [phrase]

to make an attempt to do something with no guaranteed chance of success

Ex: had a stab at surfing once but I decided not to renew the experience!

to [spread] {one's} wings [phrase]

to gain independence, confidence, and the willingness to try new things or take risks

Ex: As a child , she was very shy , but performing on stage helped her to spread her wings and gain confidence .

to go for [verb]

to pursue or try to achieve something

Ex: They are both planning to go for their dreams of starting a business together .

trial balloon [noun]

a thing that is done or introduced in order to test the public's opinion

Ex: The company sent out a trial balloon by leaking a rumor about a new product to test customer interest before investing in its development .

to [give] {sth} a twirl [phrase]

to try something out or experiment with it with an open mind

to [take] a shot at {sth} [phrase]

to try something new, often with the hope of success or improvement

Perseverance
Determination & Hard Work	Persistence	Doing One's Best	Making Great Efforts
Trying Hard	Giving Something a Try	Getting Started	Lack of Effort
Process & Completion