field trial

American  

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.

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field trial British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of field trial

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Nevertheless, "the results of this field trial represent a big step toward a more sustainable agriculture," concludes Marcel van der Heijden.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2023

In early 2021 Keith and Frank Keutsch, an atmospheric chemist at Harvard, were planning the first SRM field trial.

From Scientific American • Sep. 20, 2023

Australian scientists have begun vaccinating wild koalas against chlamydia in an ambitious field trial in New South Wales.

From Seattle Times • May 9, 2023

After a brief field trial, she was convicted.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2023

A new missile system wouldn't be sent on a field trial clear to the Belt before it'd had enough tests closer to home to get the worst bugs out.

From Industrial Revolution by Anderson, Poul William