ballon d'essai

American  

[ba-lawn de-se] / ba lɔ̃ dɛˈsɛ /

noun

French.

plural

ballons d'essai

1. trial balloon.

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ballon d'essai British  

/ bæˈlõ dɛˈseɪ /

noun

1. a project or policy put forward experimentally to gauge reactions to it Compare trial balloon

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Etymology

Origin of ballon d'essai

C19: from French, literally: trial balloon

Example Sentences

The Germans would simply use the small offer, not as a ballon d'essai, but as a means of inaugurating direct negotiations.

From Time Magazine Archive

I would send out the thing as a ballon d'essai, to see if anyone would read it for itself, or would detect me underneath the disguise.

From Escape, and Other Essays by Benson, Arthur Christopher

And in the early morning she had sent her note to Kitty—a ballon d'essai, despatched in a horror of great fear.

From The Marriage of William Ashe by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

It was not received with universal favour, and, to avert dissension, it was represented as a mere ballon d'essai and was abandoned.

From The Open Secret of Ireland by Kettle, T. M. (Thomas Michael)

This little ballon d'essai met the fate of many such, for the manuscript was returned within a fortnight.

From William Hickling Prescott by Peck, Harry Thurston