use of physical or mental energy; hard work
"he got an A for effort"
"they managed only with great exertion"
a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
"he supported populist campaigns"
"they worked in the cause of world peace"
"the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"
"the movement to end slavery"
"contributed to the war effort"
The work involved in performing an activity; exertion.
"She put in a tremendous effort to finish the project before the deadline."
In plain English: Effort is the energy and hard work you put into doing something.
"She put extra effort into studying for the exam so she could get good grades."
Usage: Use "effort" to describe the physical or mental energy applied when trying to complete a task or achieve a goal. It refers to the active work you put into something rather than just the time spent on it.
To make an effort.
"She put a lot of effort into preparing for the interview by practicing her answers all week."
In plain English: To make effort means to try your best to do something hard.
"The student made every effort to finish the exam before time ran out."
Usage: The word "effort" is not used as a verb; it is exclusively a noun referring to the energy or attempt expended. To describe the act of trying hard, you must use the verb "to make an effort" instead.
The word effort comes from the Old French esfort, which originally meant "to force" or "exert." It traveled into English via Middle French and ultimately derives from Latin roots meaning strong.