From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtesting groundˈtesting ground noun [countable] 1 TTEST/EXPERIMENTa place where machines, cars etc are tested to see if they work properly2 TRY TO DO OR GET somethinga situation or problem in which you can try new ideas and methods to see if they work Eastern Europe has become a testing ground for high-speed privatization.
Examples from the Corpus
testing ground• Latin America has become a testing ground for new business ideas.• The model was finished in 1794 and Murdock looked for a testing ground.• In brief, it was a fertile testing ground for those wishing to demonstrate prowess in their mastery of econometric technique.• The facility also serves as a badly needed testing ground for new chemicals designed to break up spills.• The transfer of the Kit to Novaya Zemlya, a major nuclear testing ground, was carried out in secret.• The Rams, Falcons and Saints are the perfect testing ground. 