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Tribulation vs Trial - What's the difference?

tribulation | trial |

As nouns the difference between tribulation and trial

is that tribulation is any adversity; a trying period or event while trial is an opportunity to test something out; a test.

As a proper noun Tribulation

is a relatively short period of time before the second coming where believers will experience worldwide persecution and be purified and strengthened by it.

As an adjective trial is

pertaining to a trial or test.

As a verb trial is

to carry out a series of tests on (a new product, procedure etc.) before marketing or implementing it.

tribulation

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any adversity; a trying period or event.
  • * 1535 , , Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation , ch. 6:
  • For the blessed apostle himself in his sore tribulation', praying thrice unto God to take it away from him, was answered again by God (in a manner) that he was but a fool in asking that request, but that the help of God's grace in that '''tribulation''' to strengthen him was far better for him than to take that ' tribulation from him.
  • * 1847 , , Omoo , ch. 11:
  • Baltimore's tribulations were indeed sore; there was no peace for him day nor night.
  • * 1944 June 27, , Speech in Chicago, Illinois to the 23rd Republican National Convention:
  • It is youth who must inherit the tribulation , the sorrow and the triumphs that are the aftermath of war.
  • * 2009 Sept. 24, , " Kristina'': A New Musical from the ABBA Guys," ''New York Times (retrieved 12 March 2014):
  • Essentially stoic, passive characters, Kristina and the others triumph by surviving — by outliving their plagues and tribulations .

    trial

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) trial, from . More at try.

    Noun

    (wikipedia trial) (en noun)
  • an opportunity to test something out; a test.
  • They will perform the trials for the new equipment next week.
  • appearance at judicial court.
  • a difficult or annoying experience
  • That boy was a trial to his parents

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Pertaining to a trial or test.
  • Attempted on a provisional or experimental basis.
  • Verb

  • To carry out a series of tests on (a new product, procedure etc.) before marketing or implementing it.
  • The warning system was extensively trialed before being fitted to all our vehicles.
  • To try out (a new player) in a sports team.
  • The team trialled a new young goalkeeper in Saturday's match, with mixed results.

    Derived terms

    * put on trial * trial and error * trial by combat * trial by fire * trial balloon * triality

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) trialis, an adjective formed from .

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Characterized by having three (usually equivalent) components.
  • Triple.
  • (grammar) pertaining to a language form referring to three of something, as people; contrast singular'', ''dual'' and ''plural .
  • No language has a trial number unless it has a dual.

    See also

    *