9 PHRASE If someone stands trial , they are tried in court for a crime they are accused of. SYNONYMS trial NOUN
1
hearing: The judge adjourned the hearing until next Tuesday.
case: It can be difficult for public figures to win a libel case.
tribunaclass="underline" His case comes before an industrial tribunal in March.
2
test: …the banning of nuclear tests.
experiment: …a proposed new law on animal experiments.
pilot: …a ten-year pilot project backed by the trade and industry department.
tri |al bal|loo n (trial balloons ) N‑COUNT A trial balloon is a proposal that you mention or an action that you try in order to find out other people's reactions to it, especially if you think they are likely to oppose it. [mainly AM ] □ [+ of ] They floated the trial balloon of allowing sixteen-year-olds to vote.
tri |al ru n (trial runs ) N‑COUNT A trial run is a first attempt at doing something to make sure you can do it properly.
tri|an|gle /tra I æŋg ə l/ (triangles )
1 N‑COUNT A triangle is an object, arrangement, or flat shape with three straight sides and three angles. □ Its outline roughly forms an equilateral triangle. □ [+ of ] …triangles of fried bread.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The triangle is a musical instrument that consists of a piece of metal shaped like a triangle. You play it by hitting it with a short metal bar.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe a group of three people as a triangle , you mean that they are all connected with each other in a particular situation, but often have different interests. □ She plays a French woman in a love triangle with her two best friends.
4 → see also eternal triangle
tri|an|gu|lar /tra I æ ŋgjʊlə r /
1 ADJ Something that is triangular is in the shape of a triangle. □ …cottages around a triangular green.
2 ADJ You can describe a relationship or situation as triangular if it involves three people or things. □ One particular triangular relationship became the model of Simone's first novel.
tri|ath|lete /tra I æ θliːt/ (triathletes ) N‑COUNT A triathlete is someone who takes part in a triathlon .
tri|ath|lon /tra I æ θlɒn/ (triathlons ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A triathlon is an athletics competition in which each competitor takes part in three events: swimming, cycling, and running.
trib|al /tra I b ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Tribal is used to describe things relating to or belonging to tribes and the way that they are organized. □ They would go back to their tribal lands.
trib|al|ism /tra I bəl I zəm/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Tribalism is the state of existing as a tribe. □ Apartheid used tribalism as the basis of its 'divide-and-rule' homeland policies.
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can use tribalism to refer to the loyalties that people feel towards particular social groups and to the way these loyalties affect their behaviour and their attitudes towards others. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His argument was that multi-party systems encourage tribalism.
tribe /tra I b/ (tribes )
1 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] Tribe is sometimes used to refer to a group of people of the same race, language, and customs, especially in a developing country. Some people disapprove of this use. □ …three-hundred members of the Xhosa tribe.
2 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb, adj N ] You can use tribe to refer to a group of people who are all doing the same thing or who all behave in the same way. [mainly HUMOROUS , INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …tribes of talented young people.
tribes|man /tra I bzmən/ (tribesmen ) N‑COUNT A tribesman is a man who belongs to a tribe.
tribu|la|tion /tr I bjʊle I ʃ ə n/ (tribulations ) N‑VAR You can refer to the suffering or difficulty that you experience in a particular situation as tribulations . [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
tri|bu|nal /tra I bjuː n ə l/ (tribunals ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] A tribunal is a special court or committee that is appointed to deal with particular problems. □ His case comes before an industrial tribunal in March.
tribu|tary /tr I bjʊtəri, [AM ] -teri/ (tributaries ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A tributary is a stream or river that flows into a larger one. □ [+ of ] …the Napo river, a tributary of the Amazon.
trib|ute /tr I bjuːt/ (tributes )
1 N‑VAR A tribute is something that you say, do, or make to show your admiration and respect for someone. □ [+ to ] The song is a tribute to Roy Orbison. □ [+ to ] He paid tribute to the organising committee.
2 N‑SING If one thing is a tribute to another, the first thing is the result of the second and shows how good it is. □ [+ to ] His success has been a tribute to hard work, to professionalism.
tri b|ute band (tribute bands ) N‑COUNT A tribute band is a pop group that plays the music and copies the style of another, much more famous, pop group. □ We booked a Beatles tribute band for the wedding.
trice /tra I s/ PHRASE If someone does something in a trice , they do it very quickly. □ He will sew it up in a trice. □ She was back in a trice.
tri|ceps /tra I seps/ (triceps ) N‑COUNT Your triceps is the muscle in the back part of your upper arm.
trick ◆◇◇ /tr I k/ (tricks , tricking , tricked )