trial balance

American  

noun

Bookkeeping.

1. a statement of all the open debit and credit items, made preliminary to balancing a double-entry ledger.

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trial balance British  

noun

1. accounting a statement of all the debit and credit balances in the ledger of a double-entry system, drawn up to test their equality

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Etymology

Origin of trial balance

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

"You told me to look into the system of keeping the books, and I thought I could not do it any better than by getting out a trial balance for the last six months."

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Optic, Oliver

In fact, I considered myself as competent to handle the Florina as I was to make out a trial balance.

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Optic, Oliver

As he said, he wanted to settle his accounts and take his trial balance, and the presence of another person might be disturbing to that process.

From Atlantis by Seltzer, Adele Szold

I even thought I comprehended the nature of Mr. Whippleton's sudden illness when I showed him my trial balance.

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Optic, Oliver

An ordinary merchant's accountant will, if need be, work a week to correct in his trial balance the variation of a cent.

From The History of Dartmouth College by Smith, Baxter Perry