trial and error

• POS: Noun Phrase
• HYPHEN: tri=al and er=ror

CIDE DICTIONARY

trial and error,  

 The method of discovering something desirable by trying many different things until one works; as, the traditional method of finding new drugs is by trial and error.  [PJC]
"And millions miss for one that hits."  [1913 Webster]

THESAURUS

trial and error

R and D, approach, assay, attempt, bid, control, control experiment, controlled experiment, crack, cut and try, effort, empiricism, endeavor, essay, experiment, experimental design, experimental method, experimental proof, experimentalism, experimentation, fling, gambit, go, hit and miss, lick, move, noble experiment, offer, pragmatism, research and development, rule of thumb, shot, stab, step, stroke, strong bid, tentative, tentative method, tentativeness, test, testing, trial, trial run, try, trying, undertaking, whack