road testn.
/ˈrəʊd tɛst/, U.S. /ˈroʊd ˌtɛst/ 1. A test of the performance of a vehicle, engine, etc., on the road. Also in extended use: a practical test of a product, method, or the like.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > make experiment of or with [verb (transitive)] > make trial run of
road test1890
dry-run1949
war-game1981
dogfood1997
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > testing, servicing, and storage of motor vehicles > [noun] > a test of a vehicle on the road
road test1890
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > testing, servicing, and storage of motor vehicles > test, service and store motor vehicles [verb (transitive)] > test (a vehicle) on the road
road test1890
1890 Rep. Proc. 24th Ann. Convent. Master Car-builders' Assoc. 36 The problem..was how to make a practical road test which would show the variation in friction;..that one shoe will stop a car in a shorter space of time than another shoe.
1906 S. Krausz ABC of Motoring 134 This completes the chassis, and..the automobile is ready for examination and road test.
1948 Pop. Sci. Monthly June 101 Purring around the country on road tests is a Greyhound bus packed with new tourist luxuries.
1982 Manch. Guardian Weekly (Nexis) 21 Mar. 6 Road-tests of Britain's best muesli.
2000 Ralph 7 July 41/1 Jaguar's F-Type is a concept vehicle, so while we can't bring you a road test, we can tell you that this is the only car that has a hope of making driving gloves socially acceptable.
2. Chiefly North American. A practical test of a person's driving skills; a driving test conducted in traffic or on a course simulating a public road.
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1905 Bull. Dept. Labor State of N.Y. Mar. 33 The present physical examination now in force against motormen and other employees shall be eliminated and a practical road test substituted instead.
1950 Canad. Transportation Sept. 506/3 A motor ability test is next on the programme and this test determines (without a road test, which would involve much time and expense) whether an applicant can learn to perform an operator's duties.
1989 S. Chinodya Harvest of Thorns (1990) xxxiv. 232 I've been taking lessons. I'm going for a road test next month.
2005 N.Y. Times Mag. 11 Dec. 48/2 You just did a rolling stop; you would fail the road test.
Derivatives
ˈroad testing n. [ < road n. + testing n.2, after road test n.]
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1896 N.Y. Times 22 Nov. 14/3 The latest proof of the company's solicitude..is had in the unique and rigorous road testing applied to the new models for 1897.
1938 Pop. Mech. June 858/1 Behind all the road testing of new parts and new cars is the greatest automobile ‘proving ground’ of all—the laboratory.
1987 W. D. Gehring Marx Brothers iv. 171 The article..moves on to their Paramount commercial decline, Margaret Dumont, and the MGM road testing of material.
2009 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 29 Mar. au1 In my road testing of the new Prius, I managed 69 m.p.g.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1890