# dummy run

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dummy-run
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A trial or practice before the real attempt.

## Examples

- We did a dummy run before the big presentation.
- The team organized a dummy run of the evacuation procedure to ensure everyone knew exactly where to go during an emergency.
- Before launching the complex software update, the developers conducted a thorough dummy run to identify potential system failures and mitigate risks.

## Origin

From the compound of dummy, in the sense of a false or simulated object, and run, meaning a trial or test. The term emerged as a designation for a practice exercise or a preliminary test of a process.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.