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

She was not a ballon d’essai; she was literally the whole show; and if she duplicated the sensational success of poor little Miss Claridge, we had nothing to fear.

From The Maids of Paradise by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

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.

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

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