trial and error

English

Etymology

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Noun

trial and error (usually uncountable, plural trials and errors)

  1. The process of finding a solution to a problem by trying many possible solutions and learning from mistakes until success is attained.
    Navigating by trial and error may get you there eventually, but using a map is faster.
    • 2018 October 9, A. A. Dowd, “The Star and Director of La La Land Reunite for First Man’s Spectacular Trip to the Moon”, in The A.V. Club‎[1], archived from the original on 16 June 2020:
      Trial and error was a big part of the process: "We need to fail down here so we don't fail up there," [Neil] Armstrong insists, though even some of the mistakes and malfunctions at ground level cause devastating casualties.

Translations

See also

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