effort

noun

1 PHYSICAL/MENTAL ENERGY (U) the physical or mental energy that is needed to do something: Lou lifted the box without any apparent effort. | take/require effort: It takes a lot of time and effort to get an exhibition ready. | take all the effort out of (=make something much easier) | put a lot of effort into (=work very hard at something): Frank put a lot of effort into the preparations for the party.

2 ATTEMPT (C, U) an attempt to do something, especially when this involves a lot of hard work or determination: effort to do sth: My efforts to convince Lucy to return failed.

(+ at): Further efforts at negotiation have broken down. | concerted effort (=a strong sincere attempt): Jack has made a concerted effort to improve his behaviour. | through sb's efforts (=because of what someone did): It's only through your efforts that we have managed to raise the money. | in an effort to do sth (=in order to achieve something): They've been working night and day in an effort to get the bridge ready on time.

3 make an effort (to do sth) to try hard to do something, especially something you do not want to do: I know you don't like her, but you could make an effort to be polite. | make every effort (=use a lot of effort and try different ways): Every effort is being made to deal with the issues you raised at the last meeting.

4 an effort of will/imagination/concentration the determination needed to do something: She dismissed the painful memory with a deliberate effort of will.

5 be an effort to be difficult or painful to do: I was so weak that even standing up was an effort. | Would it be too much effort to get it yourself?

6 a good/bad/poor etc effort something that has been done well, badly etc: Not a bad effort for a beginner!