esprit, n. wit, mother wit, intuition, sense, common sense; brains, Inf. gray matter, smartness; cleverness, astuteness, shrewdness, ingenuity, ingeniousness; sprightliness, initiative, drive, resourcefulness, Inf. gumption; perceptiveness, perspicacity, perspicaciousness, keenness, acuteness, sharpness, quickness; acumen, discernment, insight, perception, percipience, flair; intelligence, understanding, comprehension; sagacity, sagaciousness, wisdom. esprit de corps, n. solidarity, group interest, group feeling, togetherness, party spirit, sense of union, high morale; teamwork, cooperation, coordination; unanimity, mutual interest; fellowship, comradeship, sodality, companionship. espy, v. discern, perceive, detect, descry, discover, notice, make out, distinguish, recognize, catch a glimpse of, catch sight of, Inf spot; see, behold, observe, view, Brit, twig, Archaic, ken. essay, n. 1. theme, article, paper, photo-essay, manuscript; commentary, Journalism, think piece, editorial, article, piece; thesis, dissertation, disquisition, tract, treatise, discourse; work, opus, masterpiece, work of art, brainchild.
2. attempt, effort, endeavor, exertion, struggle, undertaking; try, venture, enterprise; trial, experiment, test, Inf stab, Inf. crack, Inf. go-around or go-round. -v. 3. attempt, try, make an effort, endeavor, strive, work at, aim; undertake, take in hand, take upon oneself, set or turn one's hand to, try one's hand at, try one's fortune at; venture, set out to, go about; tackle, take on, take a crack or whack or stab at; SI. give it a whirl, SI. give it a shot, SI. have a go at; strain, put one's back to it, do one's best.
4. put to the test, put to trial, try out, experiment, test, assay. essayist, n. writer, author, litterateur, penman; newspaperman, newspaperwoman, scribe, journalist, columnist, editorialist. essence, n. 1. essential part, quiddity, quintessence, essentiality, inmost substance, central nature, vital element, necessary constituent, Latin, sine qua non, Metaphys. hypostasis; principle, entity, inwardness, being, actuality, reality, essentialness, suchness; pith, heart, core, soul, marrow, kernel, gist; sum and substance, sum total; life, lifeblood, spirit; truth, purport, verity; tenor, import, drift, sense, significance.
2. extract, concentrate, concentration, distillate, abstraction, elixir.
3. perfume, scent, attar, fragrance, pleasing odor, aroma; pungency, sachet, incense, bouquet, balminess, redolence, musk, civet. essential, adj. 1. indispensable, necessary, requisite, vital, important; fundamental, constitutional, characteristic, inherent, basic, intrinsic; indigenous, inward, organic, ingrained; absolute, cardinal, principal, leading, main, capital; substantial, material, SI. nitty-gritty.
-n. 2. fundamental, rudiment, cornerstone; indispensable, element, chief point, main ingredient, primary constituent, vital part; crux, SI. nitty-gritty, brass tacks, bare bones, bottom line; quality, attribute, characteristic, peculiarity, trait, feature, mark. establish, v. 1. create, give rise to, bring into being, start, found; institute, set up, organize; make, form, fashion, build, construct; coin, makeup,compose, fabricate, contrive.
2. install, settle, ensconce, lodge, entrench; secure, ground, root, plant, place, put, seat, station, locate.
3. prove, show to be true, substantiate, evidence, support, back up; authenticate, validate, certify, confirm, verify; attest to, affirm, corroborate, aver.