trial
trial
/ˈtraɪəl/
law
1 uncountable, countable a formal examination of evidence in court by a judge and often a jury, to decide if somebody accused of a crime is guilty or not a murder/criminal trial
on trial He's on trial for murder.
She will stand trial/go on trial for fraud.
He should have been arrested and put on trial.
He was facing trial on a murder charge.
The men were arrested but not brought to trial.
She is awaiting trial on corruption charges.
He did not receive a fair trial.
the right to trial by jury
She was detained without trial.
a trial judge/lawyer/court
She became a key witness in the trial.
They will lose their right to a jury trial.
Collocations
adjective
fairunfairfull…
verb + trial
come tofacego on…
trial + verb
proceedtake placebegin…
trial + noun
attorneycourtjudge…
preposition
at the trialduring the trialon trial…
test
2 countable, uncountable the process of testing the ability, quality or performance of somebody/something, especially before you make a final decision about them a clinical/field/randomized/controlled trial
Australia and the US have conducted joint trials of the drone.
She agreed to employ me for a trial period.
on trial We had the machine on trial for a week.
The system was introduced on a trial basis for one month.
a trial separation (= of a couple whose marriage is in difficulties)
a trial of strength (= a contest to see who is stronger)
Collocations
adjective
clinicalexperimentalfield…
verb + trial
carry outconductdo…
trial + verb
demonstrate somethingshow somethingfind something…
trial + noun
periodrundata…
preposition
on trialunder trial
phrases
on a trial basistrial by firetrial and error…
in sport
3 countable, usually plural (North American English also tryout) a competition or series of tests to find the best players for a sports team or an important event Olympic trials
for animals
horse trials
difficult experience
5 countable an experience or a person that causes difficulties for somebody the trials and tribulations of married life
trial to somebody She was a sore trial to her family at times.
(figurative) My first day at work was a trial by fire.
Collocations
adjective
real
preposition
trial to
phrases
trials and tribulations
Idioms
Word Origin
late Middle English (as a noun): from Anglo-Norman French, or from medieval Latin triallum. The verb dates from the 1980s.
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