Meaning of trial In English

• 0 the hearing of statements and showing of objects, etc. in a law court to judge if a person is guilty of a crime or to decide a case or a legal matter:

  • trial proceedings

  • Trial by jury is a fundamental right.

  • It was a very complicated trial that went on for months.

  • She's going on/standing trial for fraud.

• 1 a test, usually over a limited period of time, to discover how effective or suitable something or someone is:

  • They're doing clinical trials on a new drug.

  • They've employed her for a six-month trial (period).

  • You can have the equipment on a trial basis ( UK also on trial), and if you don't like it you can give it back.

• 2 a person or thing that is annoying and causes a lot of problems:

  • She was a real trial to her parents when she was younger.

  • The book is all about the trials of growing up.

• 3 an exam taken at school for practice before a real exam:

  • Trials take place in July.

• 4 to test something in a formal way to discover how effective or suitable it is:

  • We will trial the new drug in several hospitals.

• 5 the examination in a court of law of the facts of a case to decide whether a person is guilty of a crime or responsible for an injury to another person:

  • [ C ] a criminal/civil trial

  • [ U ] The case will soon go to trial (= begin).

  • [ U ] She must still stand trial (= be judged in a court of law).

  • He was on trial for assault and robbery.

• 6 a test, usually over a limited period of time, to discover how effective or suitable something or someone is:

  • [ C ] The agency plans to conduct clinical trials of the drug.

  • [ U ] We have the videotapes on a trial basis for one week – if we don’t like them, we can send them back.

• 7 something or someone that causes anxiety or problems:

  • the trials of adolescence

• 8 a test to discover how safe, effective, etc. a product is:

  • a clinical/drug/field trial The company conducted three clinical trials to determine the drug's safety.

  • conduct/run/undergo trials

• 9 the process of using a product or employing a person for a short period in order to decide how effective or suitable they are:

  • Under the scheme, employers fill a vacancy with a long-term unemployed individual on a trial basis for up to 15 working days.

  • You can buy the equipment on trial and take it back if you don't like it.

  • Agents are usually appointed for a trial period.

• 10 in a court of law, the process of judging whether a person is guilty of a crime or deciding a legal problem, which involves hearing statements, showing objects, etc.:

  • await/face/stand trial He was ordered to stand trial on charges of unlawful computer use.

  • be/go/be put on trial for sth The former chief executive is on trial for fraud.

  • The company is scheduled to go to trial next year.

  • get/be given a fair trial

• 11 a way of achieving something or solving a problem by trying a number of different methods and learning from the mistakes you make:

  • Although some products' quality can be verified through trial and error, this is not always practical.

• 12 to test something in a formal way to discover how effective or suitable it is:

  • The group is trialling internet ordering for its paper and plastic products.

  • The system will be trialed in the third quarter of the year in both the U.S. and Japan.