trial noun
1 in a court of law
ADJ. fair The men claim they did not receive a fair trial. | unfair | full | criminal | fraud, murder, rape | jury | crown court, high court, supreme court | civil | public | show A series of show trials of former senior officials of the ousted regime took place. | summary The rebels were brutally executed after summary trials. | controversial, notorious, sensational
VERB + TRIAL come to, face, go on, go to, stand He never came to trial for the robbery. She died before the case came to trial. A man has gone on trial accused of murdering his girlfriend. | bring sb to, commit sb for, put sb on Four people had been arrested and committed for trial. | await He is in prison awaiting trial on drugs charges. | attend As a journalist he attended every murder trial of note. | order The judge ordered a new trial on the grounds that evidence had been withheld. | adjourn | halt, stop The judge halted the trial when it emerged witnesses had been threatened. | tell (in a news report) Murder trial told of horrific attack.
TRIAL + VERB proceed, take place | begin, open | continue, resume | collapse The trial collapsed after a key prosecution witness admitted lying.
TRIAL + NOUN court, judge, jury, lawyer | verdict | procedure, proceedings, process
PREP. at the ~ More than a hundred witnesses gave evidence at the trial. | during the ~ The letters that were shown during his trial turned out to be forgeries. | on ~ She is presently on trial at the Old Bailey. | without ~ Opposition leaders had been jailed without trial. | ~ by The president faces trial by television tonight when he takes part in a live debate. | ~ for She faces trial for murder. | ~ over Three people are to stand trial over the deaths of a young couple.
2 act of testing sb/sth
ADJ. clinical, experimental, field If clinical trials are successful the drug could be on the market early next year. | full-scale, large-scale | controlled, double-blind, randomized | free, home We've got this vacuum cleaner on ten days' free trial. | speed | Olympic, rowing, soccer, etc.
VERB + TRIAL carry out, conduct | take part in | have He had a trial with Chelsea when he was young.
TRIAL + VERB show sth The trial showed a dramatic reduction in side effects.
TRIAL + NOUN period She agreed to employ me for a trial period. | run They are treating the trip as a trial run for their 500-mile sponsored ride later this month. | data, results | project, scheme | game | separation The couple agreed on a trial separation.
PREP. under ~ A new stocktaking system is currently under trial at the supermarket.
PHRASES on a trial basis The new system will be introduced on a trial basis. | trial and error We discovered the ideal mix of paint by trial and error. | a trial of strength The dispute was regarded as a trial of strength by the unions.
3 experience/person that causes difficulties
ADJ. sore She was a sore trial to her family at times.
PREP. ~ to
PHRASES trials and tribulations the trials and tribulations of married life
You can also check other dicts: trial (English, 中文解释 ), wordnet sense, Collins Definition