trial

B2 Topic:Crime & Justice

Also spelled tryal

US /ˈtɹaɪəl/ See IPA manual

noun Freq #1445

Meanings

1

noun
A legal process in court where evidence is examined to decide if someone is guilty of a crime.

The defendant had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty.
2

noun
A test of how well something works or how suitable it is.

The new drug is currently undergoing clinical trials.
3

noun
A difficult or annoying experience that tests your patience.

That boy was a real trial to his parents.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a legal process in court... court case

2 noun · a test of how well... test run

3 noun · a difficult or annoying... visitation

Word family

Forms trialedtrialingtrials

Derived forms counter-trialintertrialintratrialmegatrialmidtrialminitrialmistrialnontrialposttrialpre-trialpretrialretrial

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.

trial Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Crime & Justice

# trial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ˈtɹaɪəl
**Frequency rank:** 1445

## Meanings
1. A legal process in court where evidence is examined to decide if someone is guilty of a crime.
2. A test of how well something works or how suitable it is.
3. A difficult or annoying experience that tests your patience.

## Examples
- The defendant had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty.
- The new drug is currently undergoing clinical trials.
- That boy was a real trial to his parents.

## Derived Forms
- counter-trial
- intertrial
- intratrial
- megatrial
- midtrial
- minitrial
- mistrial
- nontrial
- posttrial
- pre-trial
- pretrial
- retrial

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trial

## Etymology
From Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try.

## AI Etymology
Trial is from Middle English trial, triall, from Anglo-Norman trial, triel, from trier (“to pick out, cull”) + -al. More at English try. The historical line also includes Middle English trial, xno trial. In present-day use, it can mean a legal process in court where evidence is examined to decide if someone is guilty of a crime, or a test of how well something works or how suitable it is. Derived formations include counter-trial, intertrial, intratrial, megatrial, midtrial, minitrial, mistrial, nontrial.

## Topics
- Crime & Justice

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trial

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