Giving or attempting to give to another person an instrument known to be false with intent to defraud is:

The act of giving or attempting to give to another person an instrument known to be false with the intent to defraud is best described as uttering. Uttering specifically refers to the act of passing a forged document or instrument as if it were genuine, typically with the intent to deceive or defraud. This term encompasses the complete action of not just creating a false instrument but also using it in a way that misleads the recipient.

In contrast, forgery involves the creation of a false instrument itself, rather than the act of passing it off. False pretenses would involve deceiving someone to obtain property or benefits, but it does not specifically focus on the act of using a false instrument. Counterfeiting typically pertains to the reproduction of real documents or money with the intent to deceive, which also diverges from the act of uttering a false instrument as defined in this context. Thus, uttering precisely captures the act of presenting a fabricated item to another with fraudulent intent.