Showing results for "endeavour"

• a variation of endeavor.

endeavour

British  

/ ɪnˈdɛvə /

verb

1. to try (to do something)

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noun

1. an effort to do or attain something

Other Word Forms

• endeavourer
  noun

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

See Examples For:

endeavour

Scientists are also trying to fight disease, though that's an expensive and laborious endeavour, which for most species buys only a little more time.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

He said there must be a "collective endeavour across government, especially in relation to wastewater".

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Scotland's strength is their endeavour, their hard work, their passion, but those things only get you so far.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

Reid Wiseman also said he'd had very honest conversations with his two daughters about the dangers involved with this endeavour.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

Indeed, against the backdrop of scientific endeavour and machine-like precision there was a very human emotion that enriched every note of Handel’s solo arias in opera and oratorio: compassion.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall