Plural of trial; formal legal proceedings to determine guilt or innocence; tests or experiments to assess effectiveness; difficult experiences or hardships.
From Anglo-French 'trial,' from 'trier' meaning 'to try, sift, or examine.' Related to Old French 'trier' (to pick out, sort), ultimately from unknown origins.
The connection between legal trials and life's trials reflects the metaphor of testing - both involve examination under pressure to reveal truth or character. The word 'try' shares this root, showing how attempts and tribulations are linguistically linked.
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