trial

trial

I

tri‧al¹ S3 W2 /ˈtraɪəl/ noun1.  COURT  [uncountable and countable] a legal process in which a judge and often a jury in a court of law examine information to decide whether someone is guilty of a crime ⇨ try:
    The trial is due to start next week.
    on trial (for something)
    Brady was on trial for assault. ⇨ show trial
2.  TEST  [uncountable and countable] a process of testing to find out whether something works effectively and is safe:
    a new drug that is undergoing clinical trials
3.  TRY SOMEBODY/SOMETHING  [uncountable and countable] a short period during which you use or do something or employ someone to find out whether they are satisfactory for a particular purpose or job ⇨ try
    on trial
    They let me have the computer on trial for thirty days.
    The security system will be reviewed after a three-month trial period.
    Smith was hired on a six-month trial basis.
    trial separation (=a period of time in which a husband and wife do not live together, to find out whether they want to stay married)
4. by/through trial and error if you do something by trial and error, you test many different methods of doing something in order to find the best:
    I learned most of what I know about gardening through trial and error.
5.  DIFFICULTY  [countable usually plural] something that is difficult to deal with, and that is worrying or annoying ⇨ trying:
    the daily trials of living in a poor country
    be a trial (to/for somebody)
    My brothers and I were always a real trial to my parents.
    the trials and tribulations of running a business
6.  SPORTS trials [plural] British English a special sports competition in which people who want to be on a team are tested, so that the best can be chosen
   SYN  tryout American English
    horse/sheepdog trials (=a sporting competition in which horses or dogs compete)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ be on trial (=be being judged in a court of law) Her son is on trial charged with murder.
   ▪ stand/face trial (=be judged in a court of law) Doctors said he was unfit to stand trial.
   ▪ go on trial Taylor went on trial accused of fraud.
   ▪ be awaiting/facing trial Its managing director is awaiting trial on corruption charges.
   ▪ put somebody on trial They should never have been put on trial, let alone convicted.
   ▪ bring somebody to trial The people who were responsible for this crime must be brought to trial.
   ▪ be sent for trial (also be committed for trial British English) Smith's lawyer battled to stop him being sent for trial in Britain.
   ▪ a trial is held We believe the trial will be held sometime next month.
   ▪ a trial opens (=officially begins) The trial opened 5 weeks ago.
   ▪ a trial is adjourned (=it is officially stopped for several days, weeks, or months) The trial was adjourned until November.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + trial
   ▪ a murder/fraud etc trial She was a witness in a murder trial.
   ▪ a fair trial He is entitled to a fair trial.
   ▪ a criminal trial (=for cases involving a crime ) In a criminal trial, guilt has to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
   ▪ a civil trial (=for cases dealing with the private affairs of citizens, rather than cases involving a crime) In civil trials, the jury's decision need not be unanimous.
■ phrases
   ▪ a case goes/comes to trial If the case ever went to trial, he would probably lose.
■ nouns
   ▪ the trial judge The trial judge acquitted the accused on the charge of assault.
   ▪ the trial lawyer He is regarded as one of the finest trial lawyers in the state.
   ▪ the trial court The evidence will be fully tested in the trial court.
   ▪ a trial date No trial date has been set because of procedural delays.
   ▪ the trial verdict His lawyers have said they will appeal the civil trial verdict.

II

trial² verb (past tense and past participle trialled, present participle trialling) [transitive] British English
to thoroughly test something to see if it works correctly or is effective
   SYN  try out:
    These techniques were trialled by teachers in 300 schools.