From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtesttest1 /test/ ●●● S1 W1 noun [countable] 1 examEXAM/TEST a set of questions, exercises, or practical activities to measure someone’s skill, ability, or knowledgetest on We have a test on irregular verbs tomorrow. Did you get a good mark in the test? ► You take or do a test. Don’t say ‘make a test’. To pass a test means to succeed in it, not simply to take it.2 medical a) a medical examination on a part of your body, or a substance taken from your body, to check your health or to discover what is wrong with you The doctor said I needed to have a blood test. an eye test a hearing test I’m still waiting for my test results from the hospital.do/run a test They don’t know what’s wrong with her yet – they’re doing tests.a test is positive/negative (=it shows that someone has/does not have a condition, a substance in their blood etc) The tests were negative and the doctor said that she was in perfect health.test for a test for HIV b) an examination of someone’s blood, breath etc carried out by the police, to discover if they have done something illegal a drugs test The results of the DNA test proved that Simmons was the rapist.breath test (=to find out if someone has been drinking alcohol before driving a car) c) a piece of equipment used for carrying out a medical examination a pregnancy test3 machine/productTEST/EXPERIMENT a process used to discover whether equipment or a product works correctly, or to discover more about it nuclear weapons teststest for a test for chemicals in the water Laboratory tests show that the new drug is very effective. We went to the test site in Nevada.4 difficult situationDIFFICULT a difficult situation in which the qualities of someone or something are clearly shown Chess player Nigel Short faces Anatoly Karpov in the toughest test of his career so far.test of character/strength/courage/endurance etc The problems she faced were a real test of character.5 → put somebody/something to the test6 sport British EnglishDSC a test match → smear test, means test, → stand the test of time at stand1(8), → the acid test at acid2(3)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a set of questions, exercises, or practical activities to measure someone’s skill, ability, or knowledgeverbstake a test (also do/sit a test British English)All candidates have to take a test.pass a test (=succeed in it)She passed her driving test first time.fail a test (also flunk a test American English informal)He failed the test and had to take it again.do well/badly in a test British English, do well/badly on a test American EnglishI didn’t do very well in the first part of the test.give somebody a testThe students were given a reading test.grade a test (also mark a test British English)I spent the day marking tests.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + testa biology/history etc testOn Monday we had a French test.a spelling/reading/listening testI didn’t do very well in the listening test.a driving testA driving test can be a nerve-racking experience.a written testSelection was based on written tests in English and mathematics.a multiple choice test (=in which each question has a list of answers to choose from)There is some debate about whether multiple-choice tests are a good way of assessing student’s knowledge.an aptitude test (=a test that measures your natural abilities)an oral testThe oral test will consist of a conversation of about 10 minutes in German.test + NOUNa test paperThe teacher began handing out the test papers.a test result/scoreThe test results are out on Friday.a test questionSome of the test questions were really difficult.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make a test’. Say take a test or do a test. COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 2 & 3verbsdo/carry out a test (also perform/conduct a test formal)Your doctor will need to carry out some tests.have a test (also undergo a test formal) (=be tested)She had to have a blood test.go for a testI’m going for an eye test next week.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + testpositive (=showing that someone has a condition)My first pregnancy test was positive.negative (=showing that someone does not have a condition)All the tests came back negative.a blood testA blood test revealed his alcohol level was above the legal limit.an eye test/a sight testAll children starting school are given a sight test.a hearing testI went for a hearing test last week.a fitness testWalcott will have a fitness test this morning to decide whether he can play. a pregnancy test (=to find out if someone is pregnant)a drug test (=to find out if someone has taken drugs)Two athletes were banned from competing after failing drug tests.a breath test (=to find out if someone has drunk alcohol)Some people think the police should be able to carry out random breath tests.laboratory testsIndependent laboratory tests have confirmed that the product works very successfully.a simple testYour doctor can give you a simple blood test to check for anaemia.test + NOUNtest resultsThe test results showed that she had meningitis.a test site (=a place where something can be tested)A nuclear device was detonated at the Trinity test site in New Mexico, on July 16,1945. THESAURUStest a set of questions or practical activities, which are intended to find out how much someone knows about a subject or skillI have a chemistry test tomorrow.Did Lauren pass her driving test?exam (also examination formal) an important test that you do at the end of a course of study or class or at the end of the school yearHe’s upstairs, revising for an exam. When do you get your exam results?There’s a written examination at the end of the course.quiz American English a quick test that a teacher gives to a class, usually to check that students are learning the things they should be learningWe have a math quiz every Monday.a pop quiz (=a quiz given by a teacher without any warning)finals British English the last exams that you take at the end of a British university courseDuring my finals I was revising till 3 o'clock in the morning most days.final American English an important test that you take at the end of a particular class in high school or collegeThe English final was pretty hard.midterm American English an important test that you take in the middle of a term, covering what you have learned in a particular class in high school or collegeHe did badly in the midterm.oral exam (also oral British English) an exam in which you answer questions by speaking, instead of writing, for example to test how good you are at speaking a foreign languageNicky got an A in her Spanish oral.You can either take an oral exam or do a 25 page essay.practical British English an exam that tests your ability to do or make things, rather than your ability to write about themThe chemistry practical is on Monday.mocks/mock exams British English informal tests that you take as practice before the official examinationsShe did well in the mocks.paper British English a set of printed questions used as an examination in a particular subject, or the answers people writeThe history paper was really difficult.The papers are marked by the other teachers.
Examples from the Corpus
test• Listen carefully, because there will be a test on this next week.• I had come first in our exams and tests.• A blood test can be done to determine who the baby's father is.• A blood test will show if you are a possible bone marrow donor.• I have a chemistry test tomorrow.• Teachers can use the program to create tests to check children's progress.• Did Lauren pass her driving test?• A good test of any Chinese restaurant is its sweet and sour soup.• Nine-month-old babies are given hearing tests by health visitors.• The committee is calling for national tests for American schoolchildren.• In the new test, the patient drinks a specially prepared solution of urea supplemented with carbon-13.• a ban on nuclear tests• If X is some form of test instruction then the iteration might cease before the counter reached zero.• Only one test was conducted in each patient.• We carry out safety tests on all our products.• Doctors did several tests to find out what was wrong.• There is a simple test for diabetes.• How did you do on the spelling test?• And indeed, I do subject each new species I find to a set of stringent tests.• To identify which hues a person favors, Ryan encourages her clients to take the supermarket test.• For Divine, the test is whether it can hold its own against the multinational chocolate companies.• Several students were caught cheating on the test.• But were the tests sensitive or relevant enough not to miss therapeutically important benefits?test on• We have a test on irregular verbs tomorrow.breath test• Police stopped Kelly, of Chelmsford, and a breath test showed him to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit.• Instead he admitted lesser motoring offences including drink-driving, failing to give a breath test and not stopping after an accident.• Police kept her locked up in a cell until she gave a negative breath test and was deemed fit to leave.• Mr Warren was arrested in Mayfair, London, in May 1990 after a roadside breath test proved positive.• Police said the driver, who lives nearby with his grandmother, had failed a roadside breath test.• Pritchard failed a roadside breath test which recorded 151 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.• In healthy volunteers, H pylori state was determined by the C urea breath test.• One month after completing this treatment, the C-urea breath test was repeated to assess eradication of the infection. test site• Ideally, an open area test site should be situated in a position with low levels of ambient radio activity.• Emissions are measured on an open area test site which is free of objects which might reflect emitted signals.• Different versions of the individually labeled tests are given at different test sites.• The impostors allegedly traveled to different testing site to take the exams, showing fake drivers' licenses or military identifications.• In many ways the Settlement movement of the 1880s and 1890s provided test sites for these initiatives.• And much of the liquid used to simulate nerve gas at the test site was contained by the wooden crates.• As a favor, the masons at the test site had said they would do the caulking of the mockup.• Sailing to within a few miles of the test site, he successfully delayed the detonation.test of character/strength/courage/endurance etc• No one faced a test of courage that redeemed him for an error in his past.• According to ancient Iridani law he must undergo a test of courage and skill, overcoming earth warriors in five different aeons.• That visit was a test of endurance for Diana.• Towards the end of the fourth day, as shadows lengthen across sunlit fairways, we witness a test of character as well.• She would not do very well on any test of strength, stamina, or suppleness.• But there was a further safeguard, a more direct test of strength, that he had to perform on each footing.• Such trial by fire, however, is a real test of character.• It was, in one sense, his first serious test of character.testtest2 ●●● S3 W2 verb 1 medical [transitive]MTEST/EXPERIMENTto examine someone’s blood, body etc in order to find out what is wrong with them, or to see if they have taken an illegal drug I must have my eyes tested.test somebody for something They tested her for diabetes.test positive/negative (for something) Athletes who test positive for steroids are immediately banned.2 substance [intransitive, transitive] to examine a substance or thing in order to find out its qualities or what it containstest (something) for something The water should be tested for lead.3 knowledge/ability [transitive]EXAM/TEST to ask someone spoken or written questions, or make them do a practical activity, to discover what they know about a subject This task is designed to test your reading skillstest somebody on something We’re being tested on grammar tomorrow.4 machine/product [transitive] (also test out)TEST/EXPERIMENT to use something for a short time to see if it works in the correct way The Ferrari team wanted to test their new car out on the racetrack.test something on somebody/something None of this range of cosmetics has been tested on animals.► see thesaurus at check5 show how good/strong [transitive]DIFFICULT to show how good or strong someone or something is, especially by putting them in a difficult situation a game that will test the contestants’ strength and skill The next six months will test your powers of leadership. I felt that she was testing me, leaving all that cash lying around. → testing6 idea/plan [transitive] (also test out) to start to use an idea or plan to find out if it is correct or effective Dr Lee set up a series of experiments to test out this hypothesis.test something against something The theory was then tested against the results of the study.7 → test the water/waters → tried and tested at tried2→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
test• He has several life-insurance policies that require testing.• I need to get my eyes tested.• You need to test different products to find one that really suits.• The water is being tested for signs of chemical pollution.• New students are tested in math and reading, and placed in the appropriate class.• It wants volunteers to test its extra-large new beds and will reward than with a free stay.• These products have not been tested on animals.• Tomorrow you'll be tested on the main events of the Civil War.• Many area used car dealers are having their inventory tested or offering to test before purchase.• The store began testing the coupon machines last May.• It's all about testing the mood of the populace.• MicroModule Systems has also developed accompanying software to test the substrates of the dye and the finished micromodule itself.• Sharon decided to test the truth of their story by doing a little investigating of her own.• The devices were tested very carefully and are considered safe.• Test your brakes to check they are working correctly.• This section tests your mathematical skills.test positive/negative (for something)• Last time I had tested negative.• So far all the patients have tested negative.• I had tested positive a few months before.• If I tested negative, f would speak with Jasper about monogamy.• Out of 16 cases that tested positive for creatine kinase, nine were confirmed, giving an incidence of 1:3082 births.• Flanker Fox tested positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine following Neath's opening league game against Pontypridd on September 5.• Last year 3,300 people tested positive for the virus.• Hunter, nearly ruined it all with the announcement that he'd tested positive four times for steroids.test somebody on something• Which chapters are you going to test us on?test something on somebody/something• Marr decided to test the vaccine on herself.From Longman Business Dictionarytesttest1 /test/ noun [countable]1a set of questions, exercises, or practical activities to measure someone’s skill, ability, or knowledge2a process used to find out whether something is of the right quality or works correctly, or to find out whether it contains a particular substancenuclear weapons teststest fora test for chemicals in the water → alpha test → beta test → blind test → field test → hall test → liquid ratio test → market testtesttest2 verb1[transitive] to ask someone spoken or written questions, or make them do a practical activity, to find out how much they know about something or how well they can do somethingWe will be testing your knowledge of computers.test somebody on somethingCandidates were tested on their typing skills.2[transitive] to use something for a short time to see if it works properlyThe software has not been fully tested.test something on somebodyThe new drug has not been tested on humans.3[intransitive, transitive] to examine a substance in order to find out something about it, for example whether it contains somethingtest something for somethingWe test the ore samples for quality.test for somethingThey are currently testing for oil at the site.test somebody for somethingEmployees can be randomly tested for drugs.→ See Verb tableOrigin test1 (1300-1400) Old French “pot for testing metals”, from Latin testum “clay pot” 