Meaning of “trial” in the English Dictionary

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"trial" in English

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trialnoun

uk /traɪəl/ us /traɪəl/

trial noun (LEGAL PROCESS)

B2 [ C or U ] 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.

See also

try

More examples

Ten witnesses are expected to testify at the trial today.
The judge reacted angrily to the suggestion that it hadn't been a fair trial.
The terrorists were put on trial six years after the bombing.
After the trial, his family said they had lost all faith in the judicial system.
He is fighting extradition to Hong Kong to face trial on fraud charges.

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Court cases, orders & decisions

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trial noun (TEST)

C1 [ C or U ] 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.

More examples

Clinical trials of the new drug may take five years.
Preliminary results show that the vaccine is effective, but this has to be confirmed by further medical trials.
We've got a lawnmower on trial.
Preliminary trials show that the drug may be effective.

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Testing, checking and experimenting

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trial noun (PROBLEM)

› [ C ] 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.

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Difficult things and people

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trial noun (EXAM)

› [ C ] Australian English an exam taken at school for practice before a real exam:

Trials take place in July.

Compare

mock noun

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Exams, tests & exercises

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Idiom(s)

trials and tribulations

trialverb [ T ]

uk /traɪəl/ us /traɪəl/ -ll- or -l-

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

We will trial the new drug in several hospitals.

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Inventing, designing and innovation

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(Definition of “trial” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"trial" in American English

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(Definition of “trial” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"trial" in Business English

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trialnoun

uk /ˈtraɪəl/ us

› [ C ] PRODUCTION 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

› [ C or U ] PRODUCTION, HR 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.

› [ C or U ] LAW 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.: