trial

n. [ From Try. ] 1. The act of trying or testing in any manner. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) Any effort or exertion of strength for the purpose of ascertaining what can be done or effected. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ I ] defy thee to the trial of mortal fight. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) The act of testing by experience; proof; test. [ 1913 Webster ]

Repeated trials of the issues and events of actions. Bp. Wilkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) Examination by a test; experiment, as in chemistry, metallurgy, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being tried or tempted; exposure to suffering that tests strength, patience, faith, or the like; affliction or temptation that exercises and proves the graces or virtues of men. [ 1913 Webster ]

Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings. Heb. xi. 36. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which tries or afflicts; that which harasses; that which tries the character or principles; that which tempts to evil; as, his child's conduct was a sore trial. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every station is exposed to some trials. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) The formal examination of the matter in issue in a cause before a competent tribunal; the mode of determining a question of fact in a court of law; the examination, in legal form, of the facts in issue in a cause pending before a competent tribunal, for the purpose of determining such issue. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Test; attempt; endeavor; effort; experiment; proof; essay. See Test, and Attempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

The method of discovering something desirable by trying many different things until one works; as, the traditional method of finding new drugs is by trial and error. [ PJC ]

And millions miss for one that hits. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Bookkeeping) The testing of a ledger to discover whether the debits and credits balance, by finding whether the sum of the personal credits increased by the difference between the debit and credit sums in the merchandise and other impersonal accounts equals the sum of personal debits. The equality would not show that the items were all correctly posted. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. tres, tria, three. ] Three united; state of being three. [ R. ] H. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]