A trial is a formal examination or proceeding, typically in a court of law, to determine a person’s guilt or innocence or to resolve a dispute. It can also refer to a test or experimental process to assess performance, quality, or feasibility. In both senses, it involves presenting evidence, arguments, and witnesses under established rules and procedures.
"The trial lasted three weeks and featured testimony from several expert witnesses."
"They decided to go to trial rather than settle the case out of court."
"A clinical trial is designed to test the safety and effectiveness of a new drug."
"The trial run helped engineers identify flaws before mass production."
The word trial comes from the Latin word 'trialis' meaning belonging to a trial or test, ultimately tracing to 'tri-' meaning three and '-alis' related to judgment or weighing. In Old French, 'trial' appeared as 'trial' or 'trier' with the sense of a test or proving something. In Middle English, 'trial' evolved to include legal connotations as courts and juries began to formalize procedures for testing guilt or liability. The semantic trajectory moved from a general sense of testing or proving to specific domains such as legal adjudication, medical testing, and experimental assessments. By the early modern period, trial was firmly established in English as both a legal process and a general act of testing. First known uses in legal contexts appear in statutory and court records from the 14th and 15th centuries, while scientific and clinical senses gained prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries with the rise of empirical methods and regulated experimentation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Trial" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Trial" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Trial"
-ial sounds
-ile sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /ˈtraɪəl/ with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with the /t/ as a light aspirated plosive, then /raɪ/ rhymes with 'try', followed by a schwa-like or reduced /əl/ sound. In careful speech, you’ll hear a clearer 'əl' at the end; in fast speech it may be closer to /ˈtraɪl/ with a rapid, light /əl/. Audio reference: think 'try' + a quick, soft 'əl'.
Common errors include turning /ˈtraɪəl/ into /ˈtrɪəl/ by reducing the 'aɪ' diphthong into a short /ɪ/ sound, or conflating it with 'trial' vs. 'trile' by misplacing /r/ or softening the second syllable too much. To correct: keep the /aɪ/ as a tense diphthong from 'high' and then land a light /əl/ after it; ensure the /r/ is pronounced with American rhoticity before the vowel in US English, and adjust the vowel quality subtly in non-rhotic accents.
In US English, /ˈtraɪəl/ features a rhotic /ɹ/ before the vowel and a clear /əl/ ending. In UK English, the /r/ is non-rhotic; you may hear /ˈtraɪ.əl/ with a lighter, potentially elided post-vocalic following, and the /ɪə/ glide less prominent. Australian English generally aligns with US rhotic pronunciation but can have a slightly shorter /aɪ/ and a broader /ə/ in the final syllable. Overall, the nucleus remains /aɪ/, but rhoticity and vowel quality shift subtly.
The challenge lies in coordinating the diphthong /aɪ/ with the reduced /əl/ ending, especially when the /l/ blends quickly into the schwa. Some speakers glide into a clear /l/ or drop the /l/ in rapid speech, altering the syllable count. Additionally, maintaining the crisp /t/ onset and avoiding an over-shortened second syllable requires careful tongue position and timing.
A practical tip is to anchor the transition between the /aɪ/ diphthong and the /əl/ by slightly widening the mouth for /aɪ/ and then relaxing the jaw into a soft /əl/. In careful articulation, aim for a tangible pause or emphasis between the diphthong and the final syllable to prevent running the two sounds together too aggressively.
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