Trial vs. Cross: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 28, 2023
A trial is a test of performance, qualities, or suitability, while a cross is a structure consisting of an upright with a transverse beam or a hybridization between different species or varieties.
Key Differences
The words "trial" and "cross" illustrate different concepts and carry distinct meanings within the English language. A trial is essentially a process of testing or putting to the proof to ascertain reliability, validity, or quality. It's often associated with legal proceedings but can extend to any situation where something is being tested or tried. On the contrary, a cross can either mean a structure made of an upright and a transverse beam, often used symbolically or can refer to the act of mixing different species or varieties.
Delving into the context of "trial," it is notable that it manifests predominantly in legal, scientific, and general settings. In legal contexts, a trial is a formal examination of evidence before a judge in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings. In scientific domains, it denotes experimental tests, observations, or analyses conducted to determine the characteristics, effects, or other inherent details of something. In contrast, the term "cross" extends its significance from being a geometric figure to symbolizing spiritual and religious metaphors. It also represents the process of crossing, intertwining, or interbreeding, highlighting its versatility.
Distinguishing between a trial and a cross involves recognizing the inherent difference in their applications and representations. A trial often portrays a scenario where assessments, evaluations, or examinations are at the forefront. It is fundamentally linked with the analysis of facts, values, or performances. The term "cross," however, oscillates between tangible and abstract realms. It signifies a physical structure, symbolizes beliefs and spirituality, and denotes the mingling or intersecting of paths, elements, or entities.
Exploring the depths of "trial" reveals its omnipresence in various fields, underlining the examination, test, or analysis it brings forth. Whether it’s a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of a drug or a trial run of a new system, it remains synonymous with testing and assessment. The breadth of "cross" encompasses its representation as a symbolic element in religions, its existence as an intersection point, and its role in the breeding of plants and animals, marking its multifaceted nature.
In essence, the word "trial" is synonymous with examination, evaluation, and testing in various domains, reflecting its dynamic applicability. The word "cross," with its multifarious meanings, denotes an object, a symbolic representation, an intersection, or a process of mixing, showcasing its diverse applicability and extensive reach within the language.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A test of performance, qualities, or suitability.
A structure consisting of an upright with a transverse beam or a hybridization between different species or varieties.
Context
Predominantly in legal, scientific, and general settings.
Utilized in religious, geometric, and biological contexts.
Application
Associated with analysis, testing, and examination.
Represents intersecting, intertwining, or hybridizing.
Representation
Reflects examination and evaluation.
Symbolizes beliefs, intersections, and hybrid entities.
Nature
Process-oriented and evaluative.
Diverse, tangible, and abstract.
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Trial and Cross Definitions
Trial
A test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something.
The new software is currently undergoing a trial phase.
Cross
An upright post with a transverse piece near the top, on which condemned persons were executed in ancient times.
Trial
An attempt to do something.
It was a trial to finish the project on time.
Cross
Often Cross The cross upon which Jesus was crucified.
Trial
A proceeding in which opposing parties in a dispute present evidence and make arguments on the application of the law before a judge or jury
The case is expected to go to trial.
Cross
A crucifix.
Trial
An instance of such a proceeding
The trial of Socrates.
Cross
Any of various modifications of the cross design, such as a Latin cross or Maltese cross.
Trial
The act or process of testing, trying, or putting to the proof
A trial of one's faith.
Cross
A medal, emblem, or insignia in the form of a cross.
Trial
An instance of such testing, especially as part of a series of tests or experiments
A clinical trial of a drug.
Cross
Cross The Christian religion; Christianity.
Trial
An effort or attempt
Succeeded on the third trial.
Cross
(Christianity) The sign of the cross.
Trial
A state of pain or anguish that tests patience, endurance, or belief
"the fiery trial through which we pass" (Abraham Lincoln).
Cross
A trial, affliction, or frustration.
Trial
A trying, troublesome, or annoying person or thing
The child was a trial to his parents.
Cross
A mark or pattern formed by the intersection of two lines, especially such a mark (X) used as a signature.
Trial
A preliminary competition or test to determine qualifications, as in a sport.
Cross
A movement from one place to another, as on a stage; a crossing.
Trial
Of, relating to, or used in a trial.
Cross
A pipe fitting with four branches in upright and transverse form, used as a junction for intersecting pipes.
Trial
Attempted or advanced on a provisional or experimental basis
A married couple on a trial separation.
Cross
(Biology) A plant or animal produced by crossbreeding; a hybrid.
Trial
Made or done in the course of a trial or test.
Cross
One that combines the qualities of two other things
A novel that is a cross between romance and satire.
Trial
An opportunity to test something out; a test.
They will perform the trials for the new equipment next week.
Cross
A hook thrown over an opponent's punch in boxing.
Trial
Appearance at judicial court in order to be examined.
Cross
A pass made into the center of the field to a player in position to score, especially in soccer.
Trial
A difficult or annoying experience, such an experience seen as a test of faith and piety
That boy was a trial to his parents.
Cross
(Law) An act or instance of cross-examining; a cross-examination.
Trial
A tryout to pick members of a team.
Soccer trials
Cross
The Southern Cross.
Trial
(ceramics) A piece of ware used to test the heat of a kiln.
Cross
(Slang) A contest whose outcome has been dishonestly prearranged.
Trial
(UK) An internal examination set by Eton College.
Cross
To go or extend across; pass from one side of to the other
Crossed the room to greet us.
A bridge that crosses the bay.
Trial
Pertaining to a trial or test.
Cross
To carry or conduct across something
Crossed the horses at the ford.
Trial
Attempted on a provisional or experimental basis.
Cross
To extend or pass through or over; intersect
Elm Street crosses Oak Street.
Trial
Characterized by having three (usually equivalent) components.
Cross
(Sports) To propel (a ball or puck) as a cross, as in soccer.
Trial
Triple.
Cross
To delete by drawing a line through
Crossed tasks off her list as she did them.
Trial
(grammar) Pertaining to a language form referring to three of something, like people; contrast singular, dual and plural. (See Ambai language for an example.)
No language has a trial number unless it has a dual.
Cross
To eliminate or dismiss as unimportant or undesirable
“He thought about Mr. Fraser and crossed him off as an unknown quantity” (Scott O'Dell).
Trial
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.
Cross
To make or put a line across
Cross and divide a circle.
Trial
To try out (a new player) in a sports team.
The team trialled a new young goalkeeper in Saturday's match, with mixed results.
Cross
To place crosswise one over the other
Cross one's legs.
Trial
The act of trying or testing in any manner.
Cross
To make the sign of the cross upon or over as a sign of devotion or blessing.
Trial
Any effort or exertion of strength for the purpose of ascertaining what can be done or effected.
[I] defy thee to the trial of mortal fight.
Cross
To encounter in passing
His path crossed mine.
Trial
The state of being tried or tempted; exposure to suffering that tests strength, patience, faith, or the like; affliction or temptation that exercises and proves the graces or virtues of men.
Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings.
Cross
To combine the qualities of two things
A movie that crosses horror with humor.
Trial
The act of testing by experience; proof; test.
Repeated trials of the issues and events of actions.
Cross
To interfere with; thwart or obstruct
Don't cross me.
Trial
That which tries or afflicts; that which harasses; that which tries the character or principles; that which tempts to evil; as, his child's conduct was a sore trial.
Every station is exposed to some trials.
Cross
To betray or deceive; double-cross. Often used with up.
Trial
Examination by a test; experiment, as in chemistry, metallurgy, etc.
Cross
(Biology) To crossbreed or cross-fertilize (plants or animals).
Trial
The formal examination of the matter in issue in a cause before a competent tribunal; the mode of determining a question of fact in a court of law; the examination, in legal form, of the facts in issue in a cause pending before a competent tribunal, for the purpose of determining such issue.
Cross
(Law) To cross-examine.
Trial
(law) legal proceedings consisting of the judicial examination of issues by a competent tribunal;
Most of these complaints are settled before they go to trial
Cross
To lie or pass across each other; intersect.
Trial
The act of testing something;
In the experimental trials the amount of carbon was measured separately
He called each flip of the coin a new trial
Cross
To move or extend from one side to another
Crossed through Canada en route to Alaska.
Trial
(sports) a preliminary competition to determine qualifications;
The trials for the semifinals began yesterday
Cross
To make a crossing
Crossed into Germany from Switzerland.
Trial
(law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law;
He had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty
Cross
To meet in passing; come into conjunction
Their paths crossed at the health club.
Trial
Trying something to find out about it;
A sample for ten days free trial
A trial of progesterone failed to relieve the pain
Cross
To move or be conveyed in opposite directions at the same time
Our letters must have crossed in the mail.
Trial
An annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event;
His mother-in-law's visits were a great trial for him
Life is full of tribulations
A visitation of the plague
Cross
(Biology) To crossbreed or cross-fertilize.
Trial
The act of undergoing testing;
He survived the great test of battle
Candidates must compete in a trial of skill
Cross
Lying or passing crosswise; intersecting
A cross street.
Trial
A formal examination of evidence by a judge.
The trial for the high-profile case is set to begin next month.
Cross
Contrary or counter; opposing.
Trial
An event that tests someone's abilities.
Surviving in the wilderness was a real trial for him.
Cross
Showing ill humor; annoyed.
Trial
The act of trying or testing something to assess its nature or value.
The trial of the new medicine showed promising results.
Cross
Involving interchange; reciprocal.
Cross
Crossbred; hybrid.
Cross
Crosswise.
Cross
Across.
Cross
A geometrical figure consisting of two straight lines or bars intersecting each other such that at least one of them is bisected by the other.
Put a cross for a wrong answer and a tick for a right one.
Cross
(heraldry) Any geometric figure having this or a similar shape, such as a cross of Lorraine or a Maltese cross.
Cross
A wooden post with a perpendicular beam attached and used (especially in the Roman Empire) to execute criminals (by crucifixion).
Criminals were commonly executed on a wooden cross.
Cross
(Christianity) Usually with the: the cross on which Christ was crucified.
Cross
(Christianity) A hand gesture made in imitation of the shape of the Cross.
She made the cross after swearing.
Cross
(Christianity) A modified representation of the crucifixion stake, worn as jewellery or displayed as a symbol of religious devotion.
She was wearing a cross on her necklace.
Cross
(figurative, from Christ's bearing of the cross) A difficult situation that must be endured.
It's a cross I must bear.
Cross
The act of going across; the act of passing from one side to the other
A quick cross of the road.
Cross
(biology) An animal or plant produced by crossbreeding or cross-fertilization.
Cross
(by extension) A hybrid of any kind.
Cross
(boxing) A hook thrown over the opponent's punch.
Cross
(football) A pass in which the ball is kicked from a side of the pitch to a position close to the opponent’s goal.
Cross
A place where roads intersect and lead off in four directions; a crossroad (common in UK and Irish place names such as Gerrards Cross).
Cross
A monument that marks such a place. (Also common in UK or Irish place names such as Charing Cross)
Cross
(obsolete) A coin stamped with the figure of a cross, or that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.
Cross
Church lands.
Cross
A line drawn across or through another line.
Cross
(surveying) An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.
Cross
A pipe-fitting with four branches whose axes usually form a right angle.
Cross
(Rubik's Cube) Four edge cubies of one side that are in their right places, forming the shape of a cross.
Cross
(cartomancy) The thirty-sixth Lenormand card.
Cross
(slang) crossfire.
Cross
Transverse; lying across the main direction.
At the end of each row were cross benches which linked the rows.
Cross
(archaic) Opposite, opposed to.
His actions were perversely cross to his own happiness.
Cross
Opposing, adverse; being contrary to what one would hope or wish for.
Cross
Bad-tempered, angry, annoyed.
She was rather cross about missing her train on the first day of the job.
Please don't get cross at me. (or) Please don't get cross with me.
Cross
Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged.
Cross interrogatories
Cross marriages, as when a brother and sister marry persons standing in the same relation to each other
Cross
(nautical) Of the sea, having two wave systems traveling at oblique angles, due to the wind over shifting direction or the waves of two storm systems meeting.
Cross
(archaic) across
She walked cross the mountains.
Cross
Cross product of the previous vector and the following vector.
The Lorentz force is q times v cross B.
Cross
To make or form a cross.
Cross
To place across or athwart; to cause to intersect.
She frowned and crossed her arms.
Cross
To lay or draw something across, such as a line.
To cross the letter t
Cross
To mark with an X.
Cross the box which applies to you.
Cross
To write lines of text at right angles to and over the top of one another in order to save paper.W
Cross
To make the sign of the cross over oneself.
Cross
(transitive) To make the sign of the cross over (something or someone).
Cross
To move relatively.
Cross
(transitive) To go from one side of (something) to the other.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
You need to cross the street at the lights.
Cross
(intransitive) To travel in a direction or path that will intersect with that of another.
Ships crossing from starboard have right-of-way.
Cross
(transitive) To pass, as objects going in an opposite direction at the same time.
Cross
(sports) Relative movement by a player or of players.
Cross
(social) To oppose.
Cross
(transitive) To contradict (another) or frustrate the plans of.
"You'll rue the day you tried to cross me, Tom Hero!" bellowed the villain.
Cross
To interfere and cut off ; to debar.
Cross
(legal) To conduct a cross examination; to question a hostile witness.
Cross
(biology) To cross-fertilize or crossbreed.
They managed to cross a sheep with a goat.
Cross
(transitive) To stamp or mark (a cheque) in such a way as to prevent it being cashed, thus requiring it to be deposited into a bank account.
Cross
A gibbet, consisting of two pieces of timber placed transversely upon one another, in various forms, as a T, or +, with the horizontal piece below the upper end of the upright, or as an X. It was anciently used in the execution of criminals.
Nailed to the crossBy his own nation.
Cross
The sign or mark of the cross, made with the finger, or in ink, etc., or actually represented in some material; the symbol of Christ's death; the ensign and chosen symbol of Christianity, of a Christian people, and of Christendom.
The custom of making the sign of the cross with the hand or finger, as a means of conferring blessing or preserving from evil, is very old.
Before the cross has waned the crescent's ray.
Tis where the cross is preached.
Cross
Affiction regarded as a test of patience or virtue; trial; disappointment; opposition; misfortune.
Heaven prepares a good man with crosses.
Cross
A piece of money stamped with the figure of a cross, also, that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.
I should bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.
Cross
An appendage or ornament or anything in the form of a cross; a badge or ornamental device of the general shape of a cross; hence, such an ornament, even when varying considerably from that form; thus, the Cross of the British Order of St. George and St. Michael consists of a central medallion with seven arms radiating from it.
Cross
A monument in the form of a cross, or surmounted by a cross, set up in a public place; as, a market cross; a boundary cross; Charing Cross in London.
Dun-Edin's Cross, a pillared stone,Rose on a turret octagon.
Cross
A common heraldic bearing, of which there are many varieties. See the Illustration, above.
Cross
The crosslike mark or symbol used instead of a signature by those unable to write.
Five Kentish abbesses . . . .subscribed their names and crosses.
Cross
Church lands.
Cross
A line drawn across or through another line.
Cross
A mixing of breeds or stock, especially in cattle breeding; or the product of such intermixture; a hybrid of any kind.
Toning down the ancient Viking into a sort of a cross between Paul Jones and Jeremy Diddler.
Cross
An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.
Cross
A pipe-fitting with four branches the axes of which usually form's right angle.
Cross
Not parallel; lying or falling athwart; transverse; oblique; intersecting.
The cross refraction of the second prism.
Cross
Not accordant with what is wished or expected; interrupting; adverse; contrary; thwarting; perverse.
The cross and unlucky issue of my design.
The article of the resurrection seems to lie marvelously cross to the common experience of mankind.
We are both love's captives, but with fates so cross,One must be happy by the other's loss.
Cross
Characterized by, or in a state of, peevishness, fretfulness, or ill humor; as, a cross man or woman.
He had received a cross answer from his mistress.
Cross
Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged; as, cross interrogatories; cross marriages, as when a brother and sister marry persons standing in the same relation to each other.
Cross
Athwart; across.
A fox was taking a walk one night cross a village.
Cross
To put across or athwart; to cause to intersect; as, to cross the arms.
Cross
To lay or draw something, as a line, across; as, to cross the letter t.
Cross
To pass from one side to the other of; to pass or move over; to traverse; as, to cross a stream.
A hunted hare . . . crosses and confounds her former track.
Cross
To pass, as objects going in an opposite direction at the same time.
Cross
To run counter to; to thwart; to obstruct; to hinder; to clash or interfere with.
In each thing give him way; cross him in nothing.
An oyster may be crossed in love.
Cross
To interfere and cut off; to debar.
To cross me from the golden time I look for.
Cross
To make the sign of the cross upon; - followed by the reflexive pronoun; as, he crossed himself.
Cross
To cancel by marking crosses on or over, or drawing a line across; to erase; - usually with out, off, or over; as, to cross out a name.
Cross
To cause to interbreed; - said of different stocks or races; to mix the breed of.
Cross
To lie or be athwart.
Cross
To move or pass from one side to the other, or from place to place; to make a transit; as, to cross from New York to Liverpool.
Cross
To be inconsistent.
Men's actions do not always cross with reason.
Cross
To interbreed, as races; to mix distinct breeds.
If two individuals of distinct races cross, a third is invariably produced different from either.
Cross
A wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece
Cross
Marking consisting of crossing lines
Cross
A cross as an emblem of Christianity; used in heraldry
Cross
Any affliction that causes great suffering;
That is his cross to bear
He bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns
Cross
An organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species;
A mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey
Cross
(genetics) the act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids
Cross
Travel across or pass over;
The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day
Cross
Meet at a point
Cross
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of;
What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge
Foil your opponent
Cross
Fold so as to resemble a cross;
She crossed her legs
Cross
To cover or extend over an area or time period;
Rivers traverse the valley floor
The parking lot spans 3 acres
The novel spans three centuries
Cross
Meet and pass;
The trains crossed
Cross
Trace a line through or across;
Cross your `t'
Cross
Breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties;
Cross a horse and a donkey
Mendel tried crossbreeding
These species do not interbreed
Cross
Extending or lying across; in a crosswise direction; at right angles to the long axis;
Cross members should be all steel
From the transverse hall the stairway ascends gracefully
Transversal vibrations
Transverse colon
Cross
Perversely irritable
Cross
A figure consisting of two intersecting lines.
The cross at the church is a well-known landmark.
Cross
A hybridization between different species or varieties.
The mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey.
Cross
To traverse or intersect.
Be careful when you cross the street.
Cross
A symbol of Christianity, representing the crucifixion of Jesus.
The cross is a symbol of faith for millions around the world.
Cross
A state of being annoyed or very upset.
He was at his cross with his friend's betrayal.
FAQs
Can a trial be conducted to test the efficacy of a new product?
Absolutely, trials are often conducted to test new products or services.
Does the term "cross" always represent a religious symbol?
No, it can also represent an intersection, hybridization, or a state of being upset.
Can a cross represent intersection or traversing?
Yes, a cross can signify the act of traversing or intersecting paths or lines.
Is a trial always related to legal proceedings?
No, a trial can also refer to testing or trying something in various contexts.
Can the word "cross" be used as a verb?
Yes, "to cross" can mean to traverse or to intersect.
Is every trial aimed at determining guilt or innocence?
No, trials can also aim to determine the reliability, quality, or suitability of something.
Can a cross denote a hybrid between two species?
Yes, it can represent the hybridization between different species or varieties.
Is a trial an evaluation of someone or something’s capabilities or qualities?
Yes, it often involves assessing the performance, qualities, or capabilities of individuals or things.
Is a cross primarily a geometric figure?
While it is a geometric figure, it also holds religious, biological, and other meanings.
Can the concept of a cross be related to annoyance or being upset?
Indeed, "cross" can describe a state of being very annoyed or upset.
Can a cross signify the act of mixing different entities?
Yes, it can denote the mingling or hybridizing of different entities or elements.
Can the outcome of a trial be indicative of the effectiveness of something?
Absolutely, the outcome of a trial can reveal the effectiveness or suitability of something.
Is the purpose of a trial to test the feasibility of something?
Yes, trials often test the feasibility, reliability, or effectiveness of something.
Can a trial be a challenging experience?
Yes, a trial can also refer to an event or experience that tests someone's abilities or endurance.
Is the term "trial" synonymous with examination and evaluation?
Yes, it is often associated with examination, evaluation, and testing in various domains.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
