Endeavoured

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To have put forth earnest effort in pursuing a goal while demonstrating commitment and hard work
2. To engage in a significant undertaking that involves striving and determination toward achieving an objective
3. Took deliberate action with intention and focus to accomplish a task or goal

Etymology: "Endeavoured" is simply the British spelling of "endeavored," the past tense and past participle of "endeavour," so the verb's history is the history of the word itself. The root is the phrase "in devoir," borrowed into English from Anglo-Norman and Old French, where "devoir" meant "duty" or "obligation," from Latin "debere," "to owe." To "endeavour" was originally to put oneself in duty's service, to make a dutiful effort. The first element, "en-," is the familiar prefix that turns a noun into a verb, so the word literally meant something like "to put into duty." Over the centuries the sense softened from obligation toward effort itself. The word lost its sense of duty as a bond and came to mean the striving that duty demands, which is why the modern verb now describes determined, sustained effort toward a goal rather than any sense of being bound to it.

Synonyms: attempted, strived, sought, tried, worked

Antonyms: ignored, neglected, abandoned, gave up, relaxed