trial
trial — noun
1. an official court proceeding in which a magistrate and often a group of jurors r
an official court proceeding in which a magistrate and often a group of jurors review facts and arguments to produce a verdict on an accusation or a civil dispute
Nia's trial lasted three weeks before the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
stand trial / go to trial collocations
The defendant chose to stand trial rather than accept the plea bargain offered by prosecutors.
During the murder trial, the lawyer presented forensic evidence that had not been seen before.
passive: be put on trial for [crime]
The prosecution called three expert witnesses during the fraud trial to examine the financial records.
The judge ordered a new trial after discovering key evidence hidden from the defence.
- stand trial
- face trial
- go on trial
- trial date
- trial by jury
- murder trial
- fraud trial
- hearing
a less formal meeting before a judge, often for preliminary matters rather than the full case
- proceedings
broader term covering all legal actions in a case, not just the trial itself
- litigation
the entire process of taking a dispute to court, not the single event of a trial
Grammar Patterns
stand trial
on trial
trial by jury
go to trial
Usage Note
Frequently used with stand, face, or go to before the noun. The uncountable form is used in fixed phrases: The case never came to trial.
Common Mistakes
2. a short period or a series of actions meant to measure how well a product, servi
a short period or a series of actions meant to measure how well a product, service, or person performs before a final decision is made about its use
The new cancer drug is undergoing clinical trials at three major research hospitals.
clinical trial / trial period collocations
Kabir proved his design skills during a two-week trial and earned a contract at the agency.
Customers can download a free thirty-day trial of the photo editing software.
free trial / trial version as noun modifier
The car manufacturer completed road trials for its electric van, achieving four hundred kilometres per charge.
Scientists conducted a series of controlled trials to measure the vaccine's effectiveness.
- clinical trial
- trial period
- trial run
- free trial
- road trial
- field trial
- test
simpler, more general word for checking something; trial suggests a more formal, structured process
- experiment
focuses on discovering new knowledge under controlled conditions; trial focuses on evaluating performance
- pilot
a small-scale preliminary study or trial run before a full launch
Grammar Patterns
clinical trial
trial period
trial run
on trial
Usage Note
Common in phrasal patterns: on trial (testing phase), trial period (limited testing time). In medical contexts, clinical trial is the standard term and implies strict regulatory oversight.
Common Mistakes
3. an event where athletes compete to earn a place on a team or qualify for an impo
an event where athletes compete to earn a place on a team or qualify for an important sports competition
Aoi impressed the swimming coach at the national trials and earned an Olympic spot.
trials for [competition/team] pattern
Over a hundred runners competed in the Olympic trial races for a spot on the national team.
Christopher finished third in the cycling trials but made the world championship squad.
The rugby coach said selection for the national squad would depend on the trial matches in March.
Elena attended the basketball trials mainly to gain experience against tough opponents.
- Olympic trials
- national trials
- swimming trials
- team trials
- trial matches
- trial race
- tryouts
more informal than trials; common in US school and club sports
- qualifiers
focuses on earning a place rather than being selected by a coach
Grammar Patterns
trials for [sport/team]
[sport] trials
Usage Note
Almost always in the plural (trials) when referring to the event. Typically used with the preposition for followed by the sport, team, or event name.
4. a person, event, or situation that causes difficulty, worry, or suffering, often
a person, event, or situation that causes difficulty, worry, or suffering, often testing how much a person can accept without becoming upset
Mizuki's elderly aunt has been a real trial for the family since she moved in.
be a trial for [someone] — fixed collocation
The long hike through the pouring rain was a trial of everyone's patience.
For Noor, managing rheumatoid arthritis while working full-time became a daily trial.
The broken lift was a particular trial for the elderly residents of the apartment block.
- real trial
- daily trial
- trial of patience
- trial of endurance
Grammar Patterns
be a trial for/to [someone]
a trial of [someone's patience/endurance]
Usage Note
Subject is usually a situation, a thing (the broken lift), or occasionally a person (that child). Frequently followed by of + noun phrase expressing the quality being tested (patience, endurance, faith).
5. a practice test that students take to prepare for a real, official examination,
a practice test that students take to prepare for a real, official examination, usually held under similar conditions
The history teacher said the trial exam would help students find weak topics before the final.
trial exam / trial test — noun+noun compound
Tanvi's scores on the biology trial tests helped her focus revision on cell structure.
Lotte spent the weekend practising organic chemistry reactions for her trial paper.
The maths trial helped everyone see which topics needed more revision before May.
- trial exam
- trial test
- trial paper
- trial results
- trial marks
- mock exam
the more common term in British schools; trial is slightly less frequent
- practice test
standard US term; more informal
Grammar Patterns
trial exam
trial test
trial paper
Usage Note
Chiefly British English. In American English, practice test or mock exam is far more common. The noun trial is used attributively (trial exam, trial paper) rather than alone for this sense.
trial by fire
idioma situation in which someone must deal with a very difficult challenge for the first time, without any preparation or experience to help them
Eitan's first day as a chef was a trial by fire — the kitchen was short-staffed and full of angry customers.
trial and error
idioma method of solving a problem by trying different approaches one by one and learning from the mistakes made along the way
Layla fixed the old radio through trial and error, testing each component until she found the broken part.
stand trial
idiomto be judged in a court of law for a crime that someone is accused of committing
The former bank manager will stand trial next month on charges of stealing customer funds.
on trial
idiomin the process of being tested or judged, either in a court for a crime or in a testing period for suitability
The new security system has been on trial at the airport for the past three months.
trial — verb
1. to test a product, system, or idea in a planned and organised way so that you ca
to test a product, system, or idea in a planned and organised way so that you can judge how well it works
The research team trialled the new teaching method in ten primary schools across the region.
passive: be trialled in/at/on [location]
Engineers trialled the bridge design using computer simulations before any real construction began.
The company trialled its delivery robot in a busy shopping centre during the Christmas season.
Doctors trialled the treatment on a small group of patients before offering it more widely.
A new vaccine is being trialled in five countries to speed up the research process.
- trial a drug
- trial a product
- trial a system
- trial a method
- be trialled in
Grammar Patterns
trial + noun phrase
be trialled on/in/at [place]
Usage Note
More common in the passive voice (is being trialled, was trialled) in scientific and technical writing. The simple past trialled has a double-l spelling in British English (trialled) but is less common in American English.
Common Mistakes
trial — adjective
1. having to do with the formal court process where evidence is presented and a ver
having to do with the formal court process where evidence is presented and a verdict is reached
The judge set the trial date for early September after the defence requested more preparation time.
trial date / trial judge — fixed noun+noun compounds
Both sides requested a trial by jury instead of a decision by a single judge.
The trial proceedings were halted when the lead prosecutor fell ill before closing arguments.
The trial hearing was held behind closed doors to protect the young victim's identity.
Ada spent the evening reviewing trial transcripts to find inconsistencies in witness statements.
- trial date
- trial judge
- trial lawyer
- trial proceedings
- trial transcript
- trial period
- judicial
broader term relating to courts and judges; trial is specific to the hearing itself
Grammar Patterns
trial + noun
Usage Note
Always used attributively before a noun. This sense does not appear in predicative position (not The judge was trial). Common compounds: trial date, trial judge, trial lawyer, trial proceedings.
2. created or carried out for a short period as a test to see if something works we
created or carried out for a short period as a test to see if something works well before it is used on a larger scale
The bus company introduced a trial service on the new route for three months.
trial service / trial programme — attributive adjective before noun
The university gave students trial versions of the architecture software with full access for sixty days.
The city launched a trial recycling programme in twenty neighbourhoods last spring.
Hoa signed up for a trial gym membership before committing to a full year.
The company offered a trial subscription that included all premium features for one month.
- trial version
- trial offer
- trial period
- trial subscription
- trial programme
- trial service
- experimental
suggests scientific or innovative uncertainty; trial implies a practical evaluation
- pilot
used for small-scale projects that may expand; very similar to trial in business contexts
- provisional
temporary by default; trial implies active evaluation
- permanent
trial implies a temporary arrangement before a permanent one
Grammar Patterns
trial + noun
Usage Note
Always used attributively before a noun. Describes a temporary, provisional version or arrangement meant to be evaluated. Common in marketing and business contexts (trial offer, trial subscription).
Word family
- triableadjectiveC2
- retrialnounC1
- triernounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Trial (LEGAL PROCESS) refers to the formal courtroom event where evidence is presented and a verdict is reached. A hearing is less formal and often deals with preliminary or procedural matters — for example, a bail hearing happens before the trial begins. Case is the broadest term, covering the entire legal dispute from filing to resolution, including any appeals. Proceedings is a formal, collective term for all actions taken in court, which may include motions, hearings, and the trial itself. Litigation refers to the entire process of taking a dispute through the court system, often implying conflict between parties across months or years. A lawyer might say 'the litigation has been ongoing for two years,' whereas 'the trial lasted only five days.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- trial date
- trial period
- trial run
- trial version
- trial results
Adverbs
- successfully trialled
- widely trialled
- extensively trialled
Phrases
- stand trial
- on trial
- go to trial
- face trial
- trial and error
- trial by fire
Prepositions
- trial for
- trial of
- trial by
- on trial for
- trial in
Etymology
The word trial entered English in the 15th century from Anglo-French, where it meant 'a test or examination.' It came from the verb trier ('to try, to pick out, to sift'), which the English borrowed as try. The French verb itself goes back to Latin tritare, meaning 'to rub, to thresh (grain),' from terere ('to rub, to wear down'). The legal meaning — a formal examination in court — developed in the late 1500s. The sense of 'a difficult experience that tests one's endurance' appeared around the same time, drawing on the idea that hardship 'rubs away' at a person's resolve.