Word.ws English Dictionary

try for size

try for size is the alternative form of try on for size.

Meaning of try on for size

Verb

try on for size (third-person singular simple present tries on for size, present participle trying on for size, simple past and past participle tried on for size)

  1. (literally, transitive) To test an item of clothing by wearing it, to determine if it is the correct size.
  2. (figuratively, transitive) To test something for suitability.
  3. (figuratively, transitive) To ponder or consider an idea.
    • "Cool. So obviously that's your outfit's kinda thing, but try this on for size on top of it: I did not forget. I still haven't."2023 October 22, HarryBlank, “Waiting to Happen”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 23 May 2024
  4. (figuratively, imperative, transitive) To receive an imminent attack.
    • Mona: Try this vampire bolt on for size!1999, Mona the Vampire, "The X-Change Student" (season 1, episode 6a)

Forms of try for size

third-person singular presenttries for size
present participletrying for size
past participletried for size
pasttried for size

Questions about try for size

What is try for size the alternative form of?
Try for size is the alternative form of try on for size.

Words near try for size in the dictionary

  1. try as one may
  2. try as one might
  3. try cock
  4. try cocks
  5. try conclusions
  6. try for size
  7. try house
  8. try houses
  9. try it on
  10. try it on the dog
  11. try it out on the dog

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: try for size (page history and authors); try on for size (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “try for size.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/try_for_size. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.