From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishput somebody/something to the testput somebody/something to the testto force someone or something into a difficult situation in order to discover what the limits of their strength, skills etc are Living together will soon put their relationship to the test. Paul soon found himself in an emergency situation that put all his training to the test. → test
Examples from the Corpus
put somebody/something to the test• Again, put them to the test.• Kathy's students are putting her patience to the test.• The war is putting some of the military's expensive new technology to the test.• Will the Prime Minister now put it to the test through the ballot box and let the people decide on his record?• So she puts him to the test.• Jealous voices reminded the Count of this again and again; eventually he decided to put her to the test.• Rain could not bring herself to put this to the test.• More shaming had been his reluctance to put it to the test.• Naturally the two officers protest that their girls are different, but Alfonso persuades them to put it to the test.• With markets falling and input prices rising, this is the ideal time to put them to the test. 