(law) a way of dealing with offenders without imprisoning them; a defendant found guilty of a crime is released by the court without imprisonment subject to conditions imposed by the court; "probation is part of the sentencing process"
a trial period during which an offender has time to redeem himself or herself
a trial period during which your character and abilities are tested to see whether you are suitable for work or for membership
a primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence
a quantitative or qualitative test of a substance (especially an ore or a drug) to determine its components; frequently used to test for the presence or concentration of infectious agents or antibodies etc.
an appraisal of the state of affairs; "they made an assay of the contents"; "a check on its dependability under stress"
a written report of the results of an analysis of the composition of some substance
a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components
melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities; "try the yak butter"; "render fat in a casserole"
test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!"
give pain or trouble to; "I've been sorely tried by these students"
make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; "The police attempted to stop the thief"; "He sought to improve himself"; "She always seeks to do good in the world"