The term 'Gave it the old college try' is an idiom that means to make a great effort. The two crossword solutions for this term are 'ESSAYED' (7 letters) and 'STROVE' (6 letters). Both words mean to make an effort or attempt to do something. ESSAYED is derived from the French verb essayer, which means to try or attempt, while STROVE is derived from the Old English verb stryfan, which also means to try or attempt. Therefore, both words can be used to describe someone who is making a great effort to achieve something.