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Noun: trial  trI-ul
  1. The act of testing something
    "he called each flip of the coin a new trial"; "in the experimental trials the amount of carbon was measured separately";
    - test, run
     
  2. A trial of something to see if or how it works
    "a sample for ten days free trial"; "a trial of progesterone failed to relieve the pain"; "a sample for ten days free trial run";
    - trial run, test, tryout, dummy run [Brit, informal]
     
  3. The act of undergoing testing
    "candidates must compete in a trial of skill";
    - test
     
  4. (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law
    "he had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty"; "most of these complaints are settled before they go to trial"
     
  5. (sport) a preliminary competition to determine qualifications
    "the trials for the semifinals began yesterday"
     
  6. An annoying, frustrating or catastrophic event
    "his mother-in-law's visits were a great trial for him";
    - tribulation, visitation
Verb: trial (trialled,trialling, or [US] trialed,trialing)  trI-ul
  1. Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to
    "trial this recipe";
    - test, prove, try, try out, examine, essay

Derived forms: trialled, trialling, trials, trialing

Type of: affliction, attempt, competition, contest, effort, endeavor [US], endeavour [Brit, Cdn], evaluate, experiment, experimentation, judge, legal proceeding, pass judgment, proceeding, proceedings, try

Encyclopedia: Trial