trial

adj : of the nature of or undergoing an experiment; "an

experimental drug"; "a pilot project"; "a test run"; "a

trial separation" [syn: {experimental}, {model(a)}, {pilot(a)},

{test(a)}, {trial(a)}]

n 1: (law) legal proceedings consisting of the judicial

examination of issues by a competent tribunal; "most of

these complaints are settled before they go to trial"

2: the act of testing something; "in the experimental trials

the amount of carbon was measured separately"; "he called

each flip of the coin a new trial" [syn: {test}, {run}]

3: (sports) a preliminary competition to determine

qualifications; "the trials for the semifinals began

yesterday"

4: (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by

due process of law; "he had a fair trial and the jury

found him guilty"

5: trying something to find out about it; "a sample for ten

days free trial"; "a trial of progesterone failed to

relieve the pain" [syn: {test}, {tryout}]

6: an annoying or frustrating event; "his mother-in-law's

visits were a great trial for him"; "life is full of

tribulations"; "a visitation of the plague" [syn: {tribulation},

{visitation}]

7: the act of undergoing testing; "he survived the great test

of battle"; "candidates must compete in a trial of skill"

[syn: {test}]