Also 6 Sc. triel, 6–7 Sc. tryel(l, 6–7 tri-, tryall, 7–8 (9 dial.) tryal. [= AF. trial, triel, f. trier to TRY, instanced in 16th c., but prob. earlier: see -AL. Cf. Du Cange s.v. triallum.] The action or fact of trying or being tried, in various senses of TRY v.
(The senses are here arranged not according to the chronological order of the quotations cited, but in accordance with the sense-development seen in TRY v. and TRIABLE)
1. Law. The examination and determination of a cause by a judicial tribunal; determination of the guilt or innocence of an accused person by a court.
Hence to bring (a person or cause) to trial; to put (a person) on his trial, to stand (one’s) trial, etc.; also trial by the country, by jury, by proviso, etc.: see these words.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng. (1633), 189. The clarke asketh him how he will be tried and telleth him he must say, by God and the countrie, for these be the words formall of his triall after inditement.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvi. 146. In the ordinary trialls of Right, Twelve men of the common People, are the Judges.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, App. iii. So Jack resolved; but he had done more wisely to have put himself upon the trial of his country.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, IV. 73. He was brought to trial … Theramenes, lately his intimate friend, became his accuser.
1885. Manch. Exam., 10 July, 5/1. In this case the parties were first put upon their trial.
1911. Act 1 & 2 Geo. V., c. 6 § 9 (1). Any sheriff or his lawful deputy before whom a writ of inquiry or a writ of trial is executed.
b. The determination of a person’s guilt or innocence, or the righteousness of his cause, by a combat between the accuser and accused (trial by battle, by [single] combat, by wager of battle, by the sword); ‘a combat decisive of the merits of a cause’ (Schmidt); see also trial by ORDEAL. These methods of trial are now abolished; but expressions originally referring to them are still in fig. use. Thus, war is often spoken of as a ‘trial by battle’ with God for judge.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. i. 81. Ile answer thee in any faire degree, Or Chiualrous designe of knightly triall. Ibid. (1595), John, II. i. 286. Those soules That to their euerlasting residence, Before the dew of euening fall, shall fleete In dreadfull triall of our kingdomes King. Ibid., 342. England thou hast not sau’d one drop of blood In this hot triall more then we of France. Ibid. (1600), A. Y. L., I. ii. 199. Let your faire eies, and gentle wishes go with mee to my triall.
1617. [see COMBAT sb. 1].
1641. [see BATTLE sb. 2].
1738. Glover, Leonidas, III. 564. By single combat were the tryal vain.
1819. Act 59 Geo. III., c. 46. Whereas … the Trial by Battel in any Suit, is a Mode of Trial unfit to be used; and it is expedient that the same should be wholly abolished … be it … enacted, That … in any Writ of Right now depending, or which may hereafter be … commenced, the Tenant shall not be received to wage Battel, nor shall Issue be joined nor Trial be had by Battel.
1868. G. Pryme, Autobiog. Recoll., vii. (1870), an. 1818. 133.
2. The action of testing or putting to the proof the fitness, truth, strength, or other quality of anything; test, probation.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 108. The tryall of our fayth, & examinacyon or proue of our hope.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark viii. 53 b. Nowe maketh he a triall howe much his disciples haue profited ghostly.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, IX. 339. The most certaine triall of these horses is when they can ouertake the beast called Lant or the Ostrich in a race.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. vi. 221. The triall of mettall by fire.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, I. (1723), 23. They answer all Chymical Tryals in like Manner as the Sea-Shells do.
1903. Motor. Ann., 145. The Automobile Club … held a series of practical and official brake trials in Welbeck Park.
b. The fact or condition of being tried by suffering or temptation; probation. † In quot. c. 1550, temptation (obs.). (Cf. 9.)
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. xxvi. 41. Can ie not watch oon hour with me, watch and prai yt ie enter not into trial.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 45. That which purifies us is triall.
1755. Young, Centaur, i. Wks. 1757, IV. 108. Is not this stretching out our boldness even beyond the day of tryal?
1871. Macduff, Mem. Patmos, vi. 71. The hour of trial—the testing hour of suffering arrived.
† 3. Inquiry or investigation in order to ascertain something; examination, elucidation. To take (get) trial, to make inquiry. Sc. Obs.
1557–72. Diurnal Occur. (Bann. Cl.), 72. Ane conventioun ordanit to convene in Sanctandrois for taking tryell of the matter aboue writtin.
1575. in Maitl. Cl. Misc., I. 126. To be diligent for gaitting of tryall of the deid barne that wes cassin furth in Foresteris wynd.
a. 1657. Sir W. Mure, Ps. cxxxix. 3. My pathes, my lying doun thou eyest, And narrow tryall takes.
4. Action, method, or treatment adopted in order to ascertain the result; investigation by means of experience; experiment. Rule of trial and error: see POSITION 3.
1570. Levins, Manip., 13/14. A Tryall, experimentum.
1608. Bacon, Comment. Sol., Wks. 1868, IV. 63. A collection of phainomena, of surgery, destillations, minerall tryalls.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., II. 106/1. In what season it is best to make these tryals has not been … declared.
1806. Hutton, Course Math., I. 256. They may be all readily solved by the following easy rule of Double Position, sometimes called Trial-and-Error.
1812. Woodhouse, Astron., xxxix. 387. Astronomers have sought, by the indirect methods of trial and conjecture, to avoid them.
1907. Verney Mem., I. 536. He will have some alders set in the wet places … for a trial.
† b. The result ascertained by testing; effect; efficacy. (Cf. PROOF sb. 7.) Obs. rare.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym., 30. They giue it to drinke against the fittes of the falling sycknes with maruellous tryall.
† 5. transf. Evidence, proof. Obs.
1532. Frith, Lett., Wks. (1573), 81/1. What can be more triall of a faythfull hart, then to aduenture not onely to ayde and succour by the meanes of other,… but also personally to visite the poore oppressed?
1577. Harrison, England, II. vi. (1877), I. 153. I will not saie … if I should, I could easilie bring my triall.
a. 1586. Satir. Poems Reform., xxxvi. 86. Thow … gave gud tryell of thy lytill treuth.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1851), II. 33. Thir newis turned to nothing, for there wes no tryel found that sic materis were trew.
6. A testing of qualifications, attainments, or progress; examination.
spec. the examination prescribed by Presbyteries for the licensing of preachers or the ordination of ministers; also, in Scotland, the public probation of a Lord of Session; (pl.) at Eton College, Harrow, and other schools, the terminal examination; at Oxford and Cambridge, short for trial eights (see 13).
1672. Mem. J. Fraser, in Sel. Biog. (Wodrow Soc.), II. 309. After trial of my gifts and conversation by several exercises and pieces of trial … they agreed to trust me in the name of Christ with the dispensation of the Gospel.
1706. Act 6 Anne, c. II. Art. xix. No writer to the signet [shall] be capable to be admitted a lord of the session unless he undergo a private and publick tryal on the civil law.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit. (1710), 425. The Manner of Admission into this Society [sc. the Faculty of Advocates] is … sometimes, tho’ rarely, by a Trial in the Scots Law.
1710. T. Halyburton, Mem., ii. (1824), 238. I underwent the other parts of my private trials and on May 1, 1700 was ordained at Ceres.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xix. He went to stand trial for his license as a preacher.
1847. in Hare, Story my Life (1896), I. 223. We are busy at our Trial, which we do with our masters in form.
1849. Harper, E. Erskine, i. 11. Mr. Erskine was after the usual trials licensed by the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy.
1905. Vachell, The Hill, ix. If we put our backs—and heads—into Trials, we can easily get a remove.
1908. G. D. Law, in Boston, Acc. Life, 84, note. The trials of a probationer about to be ordained were similar to those of a divinity student applying for licence.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 7 Oct., 12/1. The ceremony … which every Scottish judge has to ‘pass,’ is called his ‘trials.’
† 7. The fact of undergoing or experiencing; experience. To have (or make) trial of, to experience. Obs.
1600. J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, V. 257. Whereof I my selfe haue had often triall.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 512. Henries command was a Law; of which Cromwell had a triall.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. xxiii. (1674), 26. Tyrants, by whom they made trial of the most deplorable miseries. Ibid. (1657), trans. Paruta’s Pol. Disc., 72. Even Augustus himself made trial of many Insurrections in Spain, Germany, and in the Eastern parts.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 178. We had a tryal then of these Panniers, and for my part I was much at my ease.
8. An attempt to do something; an endeavor, effort. (In quot. 1614, an attempt to gain.)
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. iii. § 11. [He] went to a greater enterprise; euen to fight in tryall of the Empire.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 72. Ecbar is poysoned;… after foureteene dayes violent torment and trialls to expell the poyson, yeelds up his ghost.
1720. Swift, Fates Clergymen, Wks. 1755, II. II. 24. But this I confess is a trial too dangerous often to engage in.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 98. I proposed to make a trial for landing if the weather should suit.
1853. Lynch, Self-Improv., i. 6. If you take away trial, you get rid of failure, but of success too.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xviii. 128. He said he would make the trial.
9. That which puts one to the test; esp. a painful test of one’s endurance, patience, or faith; hence, affliction, trouble, misfortune. (Cf. 2 b.)
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1781), III. i. 9. How would such a creature … have behaved under such tryals?
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., xiv. Trials by which the most generous affections may be soured.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., iv. All people have their trials. Ibid. (1865), Mut. Fr., I. iv. Lavinia has not known the trial that Bella has known.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, ix. Her life has been a very trying one…. I trust its trials will soon be over.
10. Something that serves as a sample or proof of a manufacture or material, or of the skill of a maker or operator, the progress of an operation, etc.; spec. in Pottery manuf. a piece of clay or the like by which the progress of the firing process may be judged; a trial-piece.
1608. R. Wiffin, etc., in Capt. Smith’s Wks. (Arb.), 128. Capt. N. being dispatched with the tryals of pitch, tarre, glasse, frankincense, and sope ashes, with that [= what] clapbord and wainscot could bee provided.
1609. ? N. Powell, ibid., 154. Wee … produced a triall of glasse; made a well … re-couered our Church [etc.].
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 469. In different parts of the oven … rings of Egyptian black clay are placed, as trials, by which an experienced fireman can tell how much longer the process must be carried on.
1870. J. Roskell, in Eng. Mech., 18 Feb., 548/2. If the Copper is intended for rolling purposes, then a large sample termed a trial is taken.
† b. See quot. Obs. rare.
1611. Cotgr., Languette,… the tryall, or cocke of a ballance.
c. Short for trial-ball, trial-gallop.
1884. Illustr. Lond. News, 1 Nov., 410/3. Three guineas for a ‘lose’ (besides four guineas for every private ‘trial’).
1897. ‘Tivoli’ (H. W. Bleakley), Short Innings, vi. ‘That was a trial! he explained. ‘It was the second ball!’ cried Tuckett.
11. A sieve or sifting screen. Now dial.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 446. The spout … receives the bark from the stones, and conveys it into the tryal … which tryal is wired, to shift or dress the bark as it descends from the stones.
1885. Cheshire Gloss., Trial, a coarse sieve in a winnowing machine.
12. Phrases. On trial (sense 2), on the basis or condition of being tried, as to take a person or thing on trial, to take subject to the condition of being satisfactory when tried. To be on (his, her, or its) trial (2, 6), to be in a state of probation until it is seen how he or it will succeed or work. See also to put a person on his trial; to bring to trial; to stand (one’s) trial in sense 1.
1741. Wesley, Wks. (1872), I. 301. The others were put upon trial again.
1889. Jessopp, Coming of Friars, iii. 133. During the thirteenth century they [the monks] were, so to speak, upon their trial.
1904. H. Paul, Hist. Eng., I. 409. Speaking at the Trinity House on the 9th of June [1855], Prince Albert declared that Constitutional government was on its trial, and urged the duty of placing more confidence in the Ministers of the Crown. [But Pr. Albert’s words, as given in Illustr. Lond. News, 16 June, 1855, and other newspapers, were ‘Gentlemen, our Constitutional Government is undergoing a heavy trial’ [etc.] See also Th. Martin, Life of Pr. Consort (1874–9).]
Mod. I will take the maid for a month on trial. You may have the dust-extractor three days on trial.
13. attrib. and Comb. Of or pertaining to trial; made, done, used, or taken for or as a trial: as trial animal, -chord, -correction, day, -examination, -feat, -fire, -ground, heat (HEAT sb. 10), -hole, -hour, -impression, lot, marriage, match (Cricket), number, -ordeal, -pan, parlour, plot, race, stone, time, -working, -yard; also pl., as trials cap, man, secretary; also trial balance, in bookkeeping by double entry, an addition of the whole of the entries on each side of the ledger, when the sum of the debits ought to balance the sum of the credits; trial bar, ‘a cuboid used by turners for testing the inclination of planes’ (Cent. Dict. Suppl., 1909); trial bit, an adjustable bit for measuring a horse’s mouth (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1877); trial-book, a book in which a cashier enters sums paid and received so as at any time to take out a trial balance of cash in hand; trial case = trial sight; trial cock (see quot.); trial court, a court before which trials take place in the first instance; distinguished from an appeal court; trial eight, Boat-racing, an eight-oared boat’s provisional crew, from among whom some members of the final eight may be chosen; trial glasses (pl.), a set of graduated glasses for ascertaining the requirements of defective vision; trial-jar (see quot.); trial judge, t. justice: cf. trial court; trial jury, a petty jury, distinguished from a grand jury (Webster, 1911); trial lawyer, a lawyer practising in a trial court; trial-list, the register of causes or prisoners to be tried; the calendar (Cassell’s Encycl. Dict., 1888); trial-piece, something made or taken as a specimen; spec. a coin or the like struck as a test of the die, or as a specimen of the design; trial plate, in assaying coin (see quot.); trial proof, a proof taken from a plate during the process of engraving to show its state; trial sight (see quot.); trial (spectacle) frame, an adjustable frame with revolving graduated fittings to hold trial glasses (q.v.); trial square, a try-square (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1877); trial-trip, a trip taken to test the speed and other qualities of a vessel, etc.
1905. Brit. Med. Jrnl., 27 May, 1141. The dose which the *trial animals stood will set up serious symptoms in the infected ones.
1890. Times, 11 July, 13/5. Witness drew his attention to the figures in the cashier’s *trial-book, and asked how he accounted for them.
1901. Daily Chron., 23 Nov., 9/5. A *‘Trials’ cap is eagerly sought after, and the inclusion of ‘Old Blues’ robs other men of their chance.
1889. Brinsmead, Hist. Pianoforte, 187. The *trial-chord, when struck, should produce a rapid beat or series of undulations of sound.
1825. J. Nicholson, Operat. Mechanic, 167. *Trial or gauge cocks … to ascertain the height of the water in the boiler.
1867–77. G. F. Chambers, Astron., I. xi. 129. Applying this … to the eclipses in the form of a *trial-correction.
1907. Westm. Gaz., 4 April, 2/1. The new law permits the Government to appeal from certain judgments of the *trial Court.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. i. 114. That Doyt that ere I wrested from the King … Be brought against me at my *Tryall day.
1878. Stubbs, Lect. Med. & Mod. Hist. (1886), 157. [The Crusades] were the *trial-feat of the young world.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 88. With *Triall-fire touch me his finger end.
1891. Cent. Dict., *Trial glasses.
1895. Arnold & Sons’ Catal. Surg. Instrum., 125. Spectacle Frame, plain, for Trial Glasses.
1878. Ure, Dict. Arts, IV. 323. The Mont Cenis tunnel formed the greatest *trial-ground ever brought to the attention of inventors and makers of either rock-drills or air-compressors.
1909. Westm. Gaz., 29 May, 9/4. Arrangements have been made for aeroplane flights … at Wembley, where an excellent stretch of suitable trial-ground exists.
1894. A. Robertson, Nuggets, etc., 212. He turned from side to side, apparently looking for a digger’s *trial-hole that would suit his purpose.
1907. Sir W. M. Ramsay, in Expositor, Sept., 203. The terms of our firman permitted … the making of trial-holes.
1847. Mary Howitt, Ballads, etc., 317. In this, the fiercest *trial-hour, My doubting soul sustain!
1879. H. Phillips, Addit. Notes Coins, 1. There are also leaden *trial-impressions of the dies.
1877. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Trial-jar, a tall glass vessel used for containing liquids to be tested by the hydrometer.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 11 June, 2/1. They … gave orders for *trial lots [of soft wire-rods].
1897. Outing (U.S.), XXIX. 485/1. The result is a lot of fast *trial-machines, all of one general family.
1905. Daily Chron., 1 July, 6/4. Both crews are awarded their distinctive medals, and every member may wear the ‘Trials’ cap—the white flannel cap with the crossed oars. The *‘Trials’ man is out of the ruck.
1833. Nyren, Yng. Cricketer’s Tutor, 58. The whole country round would flock to see one of their *trial matches.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 273. The Greenwich method of arriving at the *trial number.
1874. Raymond, Statist. Mines & Mining, 500. Inasmuch as the samples of ore were not large in quantity, they commenced making small *trial-pans.
1555. Bradford, Lett., in Foxe, A. & M. (1570), 1834/2. You are in the schole-house and *triall parlour of the Lord.
1663. Inscr. Simon’s Petit. Crown. Thomas Simon most humbly prays your Majesty to compare this his *tryall piece with the Dutch [etc.].
1830. [E. Hawkins], Anglo-French Coinage, 64. I cannot consider this as current money, neither does it exactly come under the description of a trial piece.
1859. Edin. Rev., CIX. 377. Cicero attempted to make words, and his trial-pieces were very neat … struck of good metal.
1904. Westm. Gaz., 11 July, 10/2. Some interesting trial-pieces … executed in true fresco on a suitable ground before beginning to paint on the wall.
1883. Encycl. Brit., XVI. 484/1. Pieces cut from *trial plates of standard fineness,… being assayed against the coins under examination.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 20 Aug., 3/1. The county [Gloucestersh.] happens to be one which affords a great variety of experiment owing to the variety of its soils…. Hence the advent of the *trial plots.
1891. Cent. Dict., *Trial proof.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 8 Nov., 1/3. These rare mezzotints are all in trial proof state.
1903. Daily Chron., 3 Aug., 3/3. The prints exist in a far less ‘restricted’ number than he imagines, and are not by any means chiefly trial-proofs.
1847. Illustr. Lond. News, 10 July, 23/2. The first day is to be occupied with the *trial races.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Supp., *Trial Sight (Optical), an oculist’s case of trial lenses, etc., for testing sight. Ibid., 903/2. A *trial spectacle frame, with double grooves to each eye, graduated to 180°…. Used for finding the axis of imperfect vision in astigmatism or cylindrical cornea.
1877. W. R. Cooper, Egypt. Obelisks, xxii. (1878), 126. A *trial stone for every idle Greek or ignorant tourist to cut his initials upon.
c. 1841. Arnold, in Stanley, Life (1845), II. x. 300. The first seventy years of the eighteenth century,… the abused *trial time of modern Europe.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 79. It was a long trial-time, in which they were taught entire dependance upon God.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Trial-trip, an experimental trip.
1902. Eliz. L. Banks, Newspaper Girl, 211. I wouldn’t let any reporter take the trial trip, anyway.
1905. A. R. Wallace, Life, II. 182. The house being used for prospecting purposes and *trial-workings.
