trial

trial [trī′əl, trīl]

n.

[Anglo-Fr < trier: see TRY]

1.

a) the act or process of trying, testing, or putting to the proof; test

b) a testing of qualifications, attainments, or progress; probation

c) experimental treatment or operation; experiment

2.

a) the fact or state of being tried by suffering, temptation, etc.

b) a hardship, suffering, etc. that tries one's endurance

c) a person or thing that is a source of annoyance or irritation

3. a formal examination of the facts of a case by a court of law to decide the validity of a charge or claim

4. an attempt; endeavor; effort

adj.

1. of a trial or trials

2. made, done, or used for the purpose of trying, testing, etc.

SYN.- AFFLICTION

——————

on trial

in the process of being tried

SYN.- TRIAL implies the trying of a person or thing in order to establish worth in actual performance [hired on trial]; EXPERIMENT implies a showing by trial whether a thing will be effective [the honor system was instituted as an experiment] and, in addition, is used of any action or process undertaken to discover something not yet known or to demonstrate something known [experiments in nuclear physics ]; TEST¹ implies a putting of a thing to decisive proof by thorough examination or trial under controlled conditions and with fixed standards in mind [a test of a new jet plane ]