trial

B2 Topic:Crime & Justice

Also spelled tryal

US /ˈtɹaɪəl/ See IPA manual

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

Appears in

Phrases (8)

See all

free trial
a period during which a product or service may be used at no cost

Adjective + noun
clinical trial
a scientific study that tests the effects of a medical treatment on people

Adjective + noun
fair trial
a legal proceeding conducted impartially and in accordance with proper procedure

Adjective + noun
murder trial
a court case in which a defendant is tried for the offence of murder

Adjective + noun
conduct a trial
to carry out a systematic trial, especially a scientific or medical experiment

Verb + noun
face trial
to be required to appear in court to answer criminal charges

Verb + noun

Idioms (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Trial entered English in the late Middle Ages and, like try, comes from Old French trier, meaning “to sift.”

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

External links

# 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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