1.   Four months later, Taylor went back to wife and daughter, in what proved to be another futile stab at domestic tranquility.

2.   He made a futile stab at the ball as it went over his head and rolled to the wall.

3.   Rafter fought off two of them, but found himself watching Sampras crack his futile stab for a lob to take the match.

4.   This was the voice in my ear mocking our own futile stabs at getting a drink.