Word Confusion: Trail versus Trial

Posted July 9, 2015 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

Revised as of
7 Jan 2023

I don’t know why, but I never expected to need a word confusion on trail versus trial. Silly, really, since that i and l combination is always a problem, and it’s the most likely reason I ran across someone who was on trail for embezzlement.

It would have made sense if the forensic accountant had been on the trail, but these characters were in a courtroom. I generally associate trial with courtrooms.

Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Trail	Trial
Hui Hang Gu Dao is Farm’s own work under the CC BY-SA 2.5 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — While I see a trail as more of a narrow path as it is in this photo, even a freeway can be considered a trail.	Gerichtlicher Zeikampf by Deutsch: unbekannter mittelalterlicher Künstler is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. — There are all sorts of trials, including a trial by combat.
Part of Grammar:
Noun ¹; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: trails Gerund: trailing Third person present verb: trails Past tense or past participle: trailed Present participle: trailing	Noun ¹; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: trials Third person present verb: trials Past tense or past participle: trialed, trialled [British] Present participle: trialing, trialling [British]
Noun: A mark or a series of signs or objects left behind by the passage of someone or something ¹ A track or scent used in following someone or hunting an animal A part, typically long and thin, stretching behind or hanging down from someone or something A line of people or things following behind each other A beaten path through rough country such as a forest or moor A route planned or followed for a particular purpose [North American; also ski trail] A downhill ski run or cross-country ski route Short for trailer in the sense of an excerpt or series of excerpts from a movie or program used to advertise it in advance A preview The rear end of a gun carriage, resting or sliding on the ground when the gun is unlimbered Verb, intransitive: Draw or be drawn along the ground or other surface behind someone or something ² [Typically of a plant] Grow or hang over the edge of something or along the ground Be losing to an opponent in a game or contest Walk or move slowly or wearily [Of the voice or a speaker] Fade gradually before stopping Verb, transitive: Draw or be drawn along the ground or other surface behind someone or something ² Follow a person or animal, typically by using marks, signs, or scent left behind Advertise (something, especially a film or program) in advance by broadcasting extracts or details Apply slip through a nozzle or spout to decorate ceramic ware	Noun: A formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings ¹ A test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something An athletic contest to test the ability of players eligible for selection to a team [trials] An event in which horses, dogs, or other animals compete or perform A person, thing, or situation that tests a person’s endurance or forbearance Verb, intransitive: [Of a horse, dog, or other animal] Compete in trials ² Verb, transitive: Test something, especially a new product, to assess its suitability or performance ²
Examples:
Noun: There was a trail of blood on the grass. Police followed his trail to Atlantic City. I love the look of a house entangled in trails of ivy. Follow the trail of those ants and find out how they’re getting into the house. The political candidates are on the campaign trail. Which trail do you want to run this afternoon? Verb, intransitive: Her silken robe trailed along the ground. The roses grew wild, their stems trailing over the banks. The Packers were trailing 10–6 at halftime. She trailed behind, whimpering at intervals. Her voice trailed away. Verb, transitive: Alex trailed a hand through the clear water. We trailed the bear to his den. Trail the green slip in a squiggle design.	Noun: He’s on trial for murder. It’s at the trial-and-error stage. The newspaper accounts of the trial were sensational. The editor was summoned to stand trial for libel. Clinical trials must establish whether the new hip replacements are working. They’re just beginning the horse trials. Ah, yesss, the trials and tribulations of married life. Verb, intransitive: The pup trialed on Saturday. The drug is being trialled at a Brisbane hospital. The idea has been trialled in several schools. Verb, transitive: All seeds are carefully trialed in a variety of growing conditions. “In 2014, Germany trialed a copyright law granting publishers licensing fees for quoted content” (Willsher). “So a raft of demonstration projects around the world have trialled ‘smart grids’ that deal with electricity flowing in two directions — accommodating individuals selling power back to the utility company operation . . .” (Williams).
History of the Word:
Middle English which originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing. Middle English from the Old French traillier meaning to tow or Middle Low German treilen meaning haul (a boat), based on the Latin tragula meaning dragnet, from trahere meaning to pull.	Late Middle English from the Anglo-Norman French, or from the medieval Latin triallum. Its first known use was in the 1980s.

Trail

Trial

Hui Hang Gu Dao is Farm’s own work under the CC BY-SA 2.5 license, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

While I see a trail as more of a narrow path as it is in this photo, even a freeway can be considered a trail.

Gerichtlicher Zeikampf by Deutsch: unbekannter mittelalterlicher Künstler is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

There are all sorts of trials, including a trial by combat.

Part of Grammar:

Noun ¹;
Verb ², intransitive & transitive

Plural for the noun: trails
Gerund: trailing

Third person present verb: trails
Past tense or past participle: trailed
Present participle: trailing

Noun ¹;
Verb ², intransitive & transitive

Plural for the noun: trials

Third person present verb: trials
Past tense or past participle: trialed, trialled [British] Present participle: trialing, trialling [British]

Noun:
A mark or a series of signs or objects left behind by the passage of someone or something ¹

A track or scent used in following someone or hunting an animal
A part, typically long and thin, stretching behind or hanging down from someone or something
A line of people or things following behind each other

A beaten path through rough country such as a forest or moor

A route planned or followed for a particular purpose
[North American; also ski trail] A downhill ski run or cross-country ski route

Short for trailer in the sense of an excerpt or series of excerpts from a movie or program used to advertise it in advance

A preview

The rear end of a gun carriage, resting or sliding on the ground when the gun is unlimbered

Verb, intransitive:
Draw or be drawn along the ground or other surface behind someone or something ²

[Typically of a plant] Grow or hang over the edge of something or along the ground
Be losing to an opponent in a game or contest

Walk or move slowly or wearily

[Of the voice or a speaker] Fade gradually before stopping

Verb, transitive:
Draw or be drawn along the ground or other surface behind someone or something ²

Follow a person or animal, typically by using marks, signs, or scent left behind

Advertise (something, especially a film or program) in advance by broadcasting extracts or details

Apply slip through a nozzle or spout to decorate ceramic ware

Noun:
A formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings ¹

A test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something

An athletic contest to test the ability of players eligible for selection to a team
[trials] An event in which horses, dogs, or other animals compete or perform

A person, thing, or situation that tests a person’s endurance or forbearance

Verb, intransitive:
[Of a horse, dog, or other animal] Compete in trials ²

Verb, transitive:
Test something, especially a new product, to assess its suitability or performance ²

Examples:

Noun:
There was a trail of blood on the grass.

Police followed his trail to Atlantic City.

I love the look of a house entangled in trails of ivy.

Follow the trail of those ants and find out how they’re getting into the house.

The political candidates are on the campaign trail.

Which trail do you want to run this afternoon?

Verb, intransitive:
Her silken robe trailed along the ground.

The roses grew wild, their stems trailing over the banks.

The Packers were trailing 10–6 at halftime.

She trailed behind, whimpering at intervals.

Her voice trailed away.

Verb, transitive:
Alex trailed a hand through the clear water.

We trailed the bear to his den.

Trail the green slip in a squiggle design.

Noun:
He’s on trial for murder.

It’s at the trial-and-error stage.

The newspaper accounts of the trial were sensational.

The editor was summoned to stand trial for libel.

Clinical trials must establish whether the new hip replacements are working.

They’re just beginning the horse trials.

Ah, yesss, the trials and tribulations of married life.

Verb, intransitive:
The pup trialed on Saturday.

The drug is being trialled at a Brisbane hospital.

The idea has been trialled in several schools.

Verb, transitive:
All seeds are carefully trialed in a variety of growing conditions.

“In 2014, Germany trialed a copyright law granting publishers licensing fees for quoted content” (Willsher).

“So a raft of demonstration projects around the world have trialled ‘smart grids’ that deal with electricity flowing in two directions — accommodating individuals selling power back to the utility company operation . . .” (Williams).

History of the Word:

Middle English which originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing.
Middle English from the Old French traillier meaning to tow or Middle Low German treilen meaning haul (a boat), based on the Latin tragula meaning dragnet, from trahere meaning to pull.

Late Middle English from the Anglo-Norman French, or from the medieval Latin triallum.
Its first known use was in the 1980s.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.

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Resources for Trail versus Trial

Apple Dictionary.com

The Free Dictionary: trial

Merriam-Webster: trial

Williams, Caroline. “Electric Avenue: When the people have the power.” NewScientist. 19 June 2013. Web. 8 Oct 2022. <https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21829222-000-electric-avenue-when-the-people-have-the-power/>.

Willsher, Kim. “France accuses Google of flouting EU copyright law meant to help news publishers.” Business. Los Angeles Times. 17 Oct 2019. Web. 8 Oct 2022. <https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-10-17/france-accuses-google-ignoring-copyright-law>.

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Pinterest Photo Credits

Natural Trails in the Mountains (<https://visualhunt.com/photo/6063/>) and Remington Noiseless (<https://visualhunt.com/photo/74592/>) are in the public domain, via VisualHunt.

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