ballon d'essai
Americannoun
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ballons d'essai
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ballon d'essai
C19: from French, literally: trial balloon
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
It was to have been a mere joke, a mere ballon d'essai.
From The Master of Mrs. Chilvers by Jerome K. (Jerome Klapka) Jerome
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 Mrs. Humphry Ward
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 Arthur Christopher Benson
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 T. M. (Thomas Michael) Kettle
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