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Definition of test verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

test

verb
 OPAL WOPAL S
 
/test/
 
/test/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they test
 
/test/
 
/test/
he / she / it tests
 
/tests/
 
/tests/
past simple tested
 
/ˈtestɪd/
 
/ˈtestɪd/
past participle tested
 
/ˈtestɪd/
 
/ˈtestɪd/
-ing form testing
 
/ˈtestɪŋ/
 
/ˈtestɪŋ/
Idioms
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    knowledge/ability

  1.  
     [transitive, intransitive] to find out how much somebody knows, or what they can do by asking them questions or giving them activities to perform
    • test somebody Students will be tested at the end of each module.
    • test somebody on something Children are tested on core subjects at age 11.
    • test somebody in something We test all students in English and maths.
    • test something Applicants' skills, ability and knowledge are tested before job offers are made.
    • We test your English before deciding which class to put you in.
    Extra Examples
    • questions designed to test understanding of the scientific method
    • Schools use various methods of testing.
    • Can you test me on my irregular verbs?
    Topics Educationa1
  2. [intransitive] test well/badly to perform well/badly in a test of knowledge or ability
    • students who tested well in reading
    • There are people who test well and people who don’t.
    3.

    health

  3.  
     [transitive] to examine the blood, a part of the body, etc. to find out what is wrong with a person, or to check the condition of their health
    • test somebody/something to test somebody’s eyesight/hearing
    • test somebody/something for something The doctor tested him for hepatitis.
    Extra Examples
    • You should have your hearing tested.
    • It is difficult to test a potential cure when a disease is ill-defined.
    Topics Healthcarea2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • adequately
    • properly
    • extensively
    • …
    verb + test
    • decide to
    • attempt to
    • seek to
    • …
    preposition
    • for
    • on
    phrases
    • get something tested
    • have something tested
    • test negative/​positive
    • …
    See full entry
  4.  
     [intransitive] test + adj. (for something) to produce a particular result in a medical test
    • She tested negative for HIV.
    • Two athletes tested positive for steroids.
    5.

    machine/product/theory, etc.

  5.  
     [transitive] to use or try a machine, substance, idea, etc. to find out how well it works or to find out more information about it
    • test something Test your brakes regularly.
    • The new system has been rigorously tested.
    • test something on somebody/something Our beauty products are not tested on animals.
    • test something out The chef uses his family to test out new ideas for the restaurant menu.
    • They opened a single store in Europe to test out the market.
    • test something for something The software has been tested for viruses.
    • The water is regularly tested for purity.
    • test something against something Researchers are now testing the hypothesis against available data.
    see also alpha-test, bench-test, beta-test, field-test, road-test
    Extra Examples
    • The product had not been adequately tested before being put on the market.
    • We decided to test the theory experimentally.
    • the importance of empirically tested research
    • We set up an experiment to test the effect of changes in air temperature.
    • Squeeze the fruit to test for ripeness.
    • The exercise successfully tested the procedures for dealing with a serious oil spillage.
    • a good way to test out his hypothesis
    Topics Scientific researcha2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • adequately
    • properly
    • extensively
    • …
    verb + test
    • decide to
    • attempt to
    • seek to
    • …
    preposition
    • for
    • on
    phrases
    • get something tested
    • have something tested
    • test negative/​positive
    • …
    See full entry
  6. [intransitive] test well/badly (of a machine or product) to perform well/badly in a test of how well it works
    • The ad had tested badly with consumers.
    7.

    strength, etc.

  7. [transitive] test somebody/something to be difficult and therefore need all your strength, ability, etc.
    • The long climb tested our fitness and stamina.
    see also testing
    Extra Examples
    • Neither goalkeeper was seriously tested in a rather poor match.
    • The training tested his body to the very limit.
    • There were times when my temper was sorely tested.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • seriously
    • severely
    • sorely
    • …
    See full entry
    8. Word Originlate Middle English (denoting a container used to treat gold or silver alloys or ore): via Old French from Latin testu, testum ‘earthen pot’, variant of testa ‘jug, shell’. The verb dates from the early 17th cent.
Idioms
test the waters
  1. to find out what the situation is before doing something or making a decision
tried and tested/trusted (British English)
(North American English tried and true)
  1. that you have used or relied on in the past successfully
    • a tried and tested method for solving the problem
    Topics Successc2
    More Like This Alliteration in idiomsAlliteration in idioms
See test in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee test in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: test

Nearby words

previously
adverb
 
 
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