Library / English Dictionary

TEST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of testing something

Example:

he called each flip of the coin a new trial

Synonyms:

run; test; trial

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "test"):

assay (a quantitative or qualitative test of a substance (especially an ore or a drug) to determine its components; frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies etc.)

clinical test; clinical trial (a rigorously controlled test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on human subjects; in the United States it is conducted under the direction of the FDA before being made available for general clinical use)

double blind (a test procedure in which the identity of those receiving the intervention is concealed from both the administrators and the subjects until after the test is completed; designed to reduce or eliminate bias in the results)

preclinical phase; preclinical test; preclinical trial (a laboratory test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on animal subjects; conducted to gather evidence justifying a clinical trial)

audition; tryout (a test of the suitability of a performer)

field trial (a test of young hunting dogs to determine their skill in pointing and retrieving)

fitting; try-on; trying on (putting clothes on to see whether they fit)

Ministry of Transportation test; MOT; MOT test (a compulsory annual test of older motor vehicles for safety and exhaust fumes)

pilot program; pilot project (activity planned as a test or trial)

Snellen test (a test of visual acuity using a Snellen chart)

Derivation:

test (determine the presence or properties of (a substance))

test (show a certain characteristic when tested)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of undergoing testing

Example:

candidates must compete in a trial of skill

Synonyms:

test; trial

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

attempt; effort; endeavor; endeavour; try (earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something)

Derivation:

test (undergo a test)

test (examine someone's knowledge of something)

test (achieve a certain score or rating on a test)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity or memory or intelligence or aptitude or personality etc

Example:

the test was standardized on a large sample of students

Synonyms:

mental test; mental testing; psychometric test; test

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

mental measurement (a generic term used to cover any application of measurement techniques to the quantification of mental functions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "test"):

intelligence test; IQ test (a psychometric test of intelligence)

personality test (any test that is intended to assess personality)

sub-test (one of a battery of related tests)

Derivation:

test (undergo a test)

test (examine someone's knowledge of something)

test (achieve a certain score or rating on a test)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A hard outer covering as of some amoebas and sea urchins

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

cover; covering; natural covering (a natural object that covers or envelops)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Trying something to find out about it

Example:

a trial of progesterone failed to relieve the pain

Synonyms:

test; trial; trial run; tryout

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

experiment; experimentation (the testing of an idea)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "test"):

trial balloon (a test of public opinion)

road test (a test to insure that a vehicle is roadworthy)

beta test ((computer science) a second test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by an outside organization)

alpha test ((computer science) a first test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by the developer)

field test; field trial (a test of the performance of some new product under the conditions in which it will be used)

Derivation:

test (put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge

Example:

when the test was stolen the professor had to make a new set of questions

Synonyms:

exam; examination; test

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("test" is a kind of...):

communicating; communication (the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "test"):

tripos (final honors degree examinations at Cambridge University)

exam paper; examination paper; question sheet; test paper (a written examination)

quiz (an examination consisting of a few short questions)

prelim; preliminary exam; preliminary examination (an examination taken by graduate students to determine their fitness to continue)

oral; oral exam; oral examination; viva; viva voce (an examination conducted by spoken communication)

midterm; midterm exam; midterm examination (an examination administered in the middle of an academic term)

litmus test (a test that relies on a single indicator)

final; final exam; final examination (an examination administered at the end of an academic term)

entrance exam; entrance examination (examination to determine a candidate's preparation for a course of studies)

comp; comprehensive; comprehensive examination (an intensive examination testing a student's proficiency in some special field of knowledge)

bar exam; bar examination (an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction)

Derivation:

test (undergo a test)

test (examine someone's knowledge of something)

test (achieve a certain score or rating on a test)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Undergo a test

Example:

She doesn't test well

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

submit; take (accept or undergo, often unwillingly)

Verb group:

quiz; test (examine someone's knowledge of something)

test (achieve a certain score or rating on a test)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective

Derivation:

testee (someone who is tested (as by an intelligence test or an academic examination))

test (a set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge)

test (any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity or memory or intelligence or aptitude or personality etc)

test (the act of undergoing testing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Examine someone's knowledge of something

Example:

We got quizzed on French irregular verbs

Synonyms:

quiz; test

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

examine (question closely)

Verb group:

test (undergo a test)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Derivation:

test (the act of undergoing testing)

test (any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity or memory or intelligence or aptitude or personality etc)

test (a set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge)

testee (someone who is tested (as by an intelligence test or an academic examination))

tester (someone who administers a test to determine your qualifications)

testing (the act of giving students or candidates a test (as by questions) to determine what they know or have learned)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Determine the presence or properties of (a substance)

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

ascertain; check; determine; find out; learn; see; watch (find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

testing (an examination of the characteristics of something)

test (the act of testing something)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Achieve a certain score or rating on a test

Example:

She tested high on the LSAT and was admitted to all the good law schools

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

score (get a certain number or letter indicating quality or performance)

Verb group:

test (undergo a test)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective

Derivation:

test (the act of undergoing testing)

test (any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity or memory or intelligence or aptitude or personality etc)

test (a set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

Example:

Test this recipe

Synonyms:

essay; examine; prove; test; try; try out

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "test"):

control; verify (check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard)

float (circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with)

field-test (test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

test (trying something to find out about it)

testing (the act of subjecting to experimental test in order to determine how well something works)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Test or examine for the presence of disease or infection

Example:

screen the blood for the HIV virus

Synonyms:

screen; test

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

check (make an examination or investigation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 7

Meaning:

Show a certain characteristic when tested

Example:

He tested positive for HIV

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "test" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective

Derivation:

test (the act of testing something)

testing (an examination of the characteristics of something)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A treatment plan that involves closely watching a patient’s condition but not giving any treatment unless there are changes in test results that show the condition is getting worse.

(Active surveillance, NCI Dictionary)

Ever since your ruling planet, Saturn, entered Capricorn on December 19, 2017, you began a challenging period, and over the past two years, you were tested on many levels.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

It might one day be used to conduct biomedical tests in remote and resource-limited areas.

(Smartphone microscope detects nanoparticles and viruses, NIH)

An iron that stood the ordinary test of a wet finger was too cold for Joe and Martin, and such test was useless.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Lab tests on your blood and cerebrospinal fluid can tell if you have it.

(Meningococcal Infections, NIH)

No tests are available to detect adhesions.

(Adhesions, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

You may also need to see a specialist for more tests.

(Mild Cognitive Impairment, NIH: National Institute on Aging)

That mission was to test the truth of Professor Challenger's statements.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"What is your greatest fault?" asked Fred, by way of testing in her the virtue he lacked himself.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I hesitated long before I put this theory to the test of practice.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)