trial

Meanings

Noun

• An opportunity to test something out; a test.
• Appearance at judicial court in order to be examined.
• A difficult or annoying experience, such an experience seen as a test of faith and piety
• A tryout to pick members of a team.
• A piece of ware used to test the heat of a kiln.
• An internal examination set by Eton College.

Adjective

• Pertaining to a trial or test.
• Attempted on a provisional or experimental basis.
• Characterized by having three (usually equivalent) components.
• Triple.
• Pertaining to a language form referring to three of something, like people; contrast singular, dual and plural. (See Ambai language for an example.)

Verb

• To carry out a series of tests on (a new product, procedure etc.) before marketing or implementing it.
• To try out (a new player) in a sports team.

Origin

• From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier + -al. More at English try.
• From Latin tri- (stem of trēs) + -al, on the pattern of dual.