endeavour
Britishverb
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of endeavour
C14: endeveren , from en- 1 + -deveren from dever duty, from Old French deveir; see devoirs
Explanation
To endeavour is to strive for something. The endeavour itself is the thing you're striving for, the enterprise or undertaking. It's a primarily British spelling of the word. The Middle English root of endeavour means to "put oneself in" or "do one's utmost," so if you endeavour to do something, you do it with earnestness and a fair amount of effort. Americans usually spell the word endeavor, but NASA named one of its space shuttles the Endeavour. Why the extra "u"? NASA was honoring the HMS Endeavour, the first ship ever used by the British explorer Captain James Cook.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scotland's strength is their endeavour, their hard work, their passion, but those things only get you so far.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
David Singh, for Ashford, said he had admitted the "endeavour was his idea", and was now "taking responsibility".
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
Simon Dowson, from Prodrive, said everyone at the north Oxfordshire firm was "very proud and honoured to be part of such an endeavour".
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
"It is a tricky endeavour to try to figure out how long wars will last," Min said.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026
Her second duty now, inferior only to her father’s claims, was to promote Harriet’s comfort, and endeavour to prove her own affection in some better method than by match-making.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
