field trial

noun

1. a competition among sporting dogs under natural conditions in the field, in which the animals are judged on the basis of excellence of performance in hunting.
2. a trial of a new product or procedure to determine its efficiency or usefulness in actual performance.

field trial

noun

1. hunting a test of or contest between gun dogs to determine their proficiency and standard of training in retrieving or pointing
2. often plural a test to display performance, efficiency, or durability, as of a vehicle or invention

Word History and Origins

Origin of field trial¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

In addition, hammer thrower Gwen Berry’s act of protest on the medal stand at the track and field trials incensed conservative critics, who demanded that Berry not be allowed to represent the nation.

From Washington Post

The other recipients include CarbonBuilt, Running Tide, Seachange, Mission Zero, and the Future Forest Company, which is planning a mineral-weathering field trial that involves spreading basalt rock along a forest floor.

From MIT Technology Review

At the Rich Earth Institute in Vermont, researchers have been collecting urine from nearby residents and running field trials.

From Popular-Science

It was 66 years ago that Kerr, then 6, became briefly famous, receiving the first injection of Jonas Salk’s experimental polio vaccine during the massive field trial of hundreds of thousands of children in the spring of 1954.

From Time

The team is now conducting a field trial for a proposed nickel plant in British Columbia.

From MIT Technology Review

He told them stories of historic events in the field-trial game, and then sent them to bed.

From Project Gutenberg

Old field-trial fans told Mr. Hartshorn afterward that they had never witnessed a prettier contest than that one.

From Project Gutenberg

Romulus he mentioned favorably in passing, referring to his enviable field-trial record.

From Project Gutenberg

Romulus came to be pointed out to strangers as a coming field-trial champion, and Remus as a famous bench-show winner.

From Project Gutenberg

"We want to know what a field trial is, how it is run, and what the dogs do," said Ernest.

From Project Gutenberg