The company sent out a trial balloon to see if customers like the idea.
trial balloon
idiomAn idea, suggestion, or prospective action, product, etc., offered to an audience or group in order to test whether it generates acceptance or interest.
Origin
disputed originCalque of French ballon d’essai (“small balloon released into the sky to determine the direction and tendency of winds in the upper air before a manned ascent in a larger balloon; (figuratively) prospective action to test acceptance”): ballon (“balloon”), essai (“trial, try; assay”).
The politician released a trial balloon about the new tax policy to gauge public reaction before making a final decision.
By leaking the proposal to the press, the administration launched a trial balloon to assess whether the controversial reform would face significant opposition from the electorate.
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balloon goes up
Something exciting, risky, or troublesome begins.
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balloon knot
The anus.
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make trial of
To check the quality, reliability, performance or genuineness of (something or someone).
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stand trial
To sustain the trial or examination of a cause; not to give up without trial.
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trial by fire
Any ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.
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trial by media
The process by which media coverage affects a person's reputation by creating a widespread perception of guilt or innocence, often before, or after, a verdict in a court of law.