trial

[ trahy-uhl, trahyl ]
/ ˈtraɪ əl, traɪl /

noun

adjective

Idioms for trial

    on trial,
    1. undergoing examination before a judicial tribunal.
    2. undergoing a probationary or trial period.

Origin of trial

First recorded in 1520–30; try + -al2

synonym study for trial

2, 3, 5. Trial , experiment , test imply an attempt to find out something or to find out about something. Trial is the general word for a trying of anything: articles sent for ten days' free trial. Experiment is a trial conducted to prove or illustrate the truth or validity of something, or an attempt to discover something new: an experiment in organic chemistry. Test is a more specific word, referring to a trial under approved and fixed conditions, or a final and decisive trial as a conclusion of past experiments: a test of a new type of airplane. 7. See affliction.

OTHER WORDS FROM trial

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH trial

trail trial

British Dictionary definitions for on trial (1 of 2)

trial 1
/ (ˈtraɪəl, traɪl) /

noun

verb trials, trialling or trialled

(tr) to test or make experimental use of (something) the idea has been trialled in several schools

Derived forms of trial

trialling, noun

Word Origin for trial

C16: from Anglo-French, from trier to try

British Dictionary definitions for on trial (2 of 2)

trial 2
/ (ˈtraɪəl) /

noun grammar

a grammatical number occurring in some languages for words in contexts where exactly three of their referents are described or referred to
(modifier) relating to or inflected for this number

Word Origin for trial

C19: from tri- + -al 1

Idioms and Phrases with on trial (1 of 2)

on trial

1

In the process of being tried, especially in a court of law. For example, He would be put on trial for the murder of his wife. [Early 1700s]

2

As a test of something, on probation, as in They said we could take the vacuum cleaner on trial and return it if it was too noisy. [Early 1700s]

Idioms and Phrases with on trial (2 of 2)

trial