trial
HighFormal, semi-formal, and everyday
Definition
Meaning
A formal examination of evidence in a court of law to decide a legal case.
A process of testing something or someone to assess quality, performance, or suitability; an experience of difficulty or annoyance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun 'trial' primarily denotes a legal proceeding, but its metaphorical extension to 'test' or 'experiment' is extremely common. It can also imply hardship ('trials and tribulations'). The adjective and verb forms are derived from this extended sense.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In law, 'trial' is used identically. The verb form ('to trial') is more common and slightly more formal in UK usage (e.g., 'The new drug will be trialled.'), while US English often prefers 'to test' or 'run a trial on' in non-legal contexts.
Connotations
Identical core connotations. 'On trial' has the same literal and metaphorical meanings.
Frequency
Equally high-frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
go on trial for sthput sb/sth on trialstand trialconduct a trialbe a trial to sbVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “trial and error”
- “trials and tribulations”
- “on trial (also metaphorically)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A limited-time offer of a product or service to potential customers. (e.g., 'We offer a 30-day free trial of our software.')
Academic
A research procedure, especially in sciences and medicine, to test a hypothesis. (e.g., 'The randomized controlled trial yielded significant results.')
Everyday
Testing something before committing, or experiencing difficulty. (e.g., 'I'll give the recipe a trial run.' / 'His constant questions are a real trial.')
Technical
The formal judicial process to determine guilt or innocence; a single repetition of an experiment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council will trial the new recycling scheme next month.
- The software has been trialled in several schools with positive feedback.
American English
- The company will test-run the new system in the Boston office.
- They are trialing a new treatment protocol at the hospital. (Note: 'trialing' less common than 'testing')
adverb
British English
- This feature is not available trial. (Rare; usually 'on a trial basis')
American English
- (Adverbial use is extremely rare and non-standard. 'On a trial basis' is used instead.)
adjective
British English
- She was offered the job on a trial basis.
- Download the trial version of the app.
American English
- He is a trial lawyer based in Chicago.
- You can use the software for a 14-day trial period.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop lets you take the bike for a trial ride.
- The trial will start next week.
- She found the first few months in the new country a real trial.
- You can sign up for a free one-month trial of the service.
- The defendant chose a jury trial over a bench trial.
- The research team conducted a double-blind clinical trial.
- The novel's protagonist endures numerous trials that test his moral fiber.
- The judge declared a mistrial due to procedural irregularities.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TRIAL as a TRY-out for something in a court of LAW.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A COURTROOM ('He was on trial for his ideas.'); ASSESSMENT IS A TEST ('The new employee is on a three-month trial.').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'trial' as 'тренировка' (which is 'training'). The legal meaning is 'судебное разбирательство' or 'процесс'. For testing, use 'испытание' or 'пробный период'. The verb 'to trial' often translates as 'тестировать' or 'проводить испытания'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'trial' as a direct synonym for 'experiment' in very formal scientific writing where 'experiment' is more precise. Confusing 'trial' (test) with 'trail' (path).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'trial' is primarily metaphorical?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, especially in British English (e.g., 'to trial a new product'). In American English, 'to test' or 'to try out' is often preferred in everyday contexts, though 'trial' is understood.
An 'experiment' is a scientific procedure to discover something unknown or test a hypothesis. A 'trial' is a test of performance, reliability, or suitability, often of a known entity (like a product) or a person. In medicine, 'clinical trial' is the standard term.
Metaphorically, 'on trial' means being tested or having one's abilities, patience, or character scrutinized (e.g., 'His leadership skills are on trial during this crisis.').
Very similar. A 'trial version' is usually a time-limited or feature-limited full product. A 'demo version' is often a non-interactive demonstration or a highly restricted sample, but the terms are frequently used interchangeably.
Collections
Part of a collection
Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.