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Glite Dictionary
to try it on

to try it on

144 3.0
To put on clothes to check if they fit and how they look
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : probarse
  • Before buying the dress, I decided to try it on to see how it looks.

So that's me, let's try it on and and find out.

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Examples

  • OK, let us try it on and see what these look like on.

    Patricia Bright

  • Then we'd have cokes and try on skirts, sweaters, hats, and wigs.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Well, let me try it on.

    Till (2022)

  • Better yet, try it on.

    Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

  • Shall I try it on?

    Johnny English (2003)

  • So I picked this up and tried it on and it fit like a perfect crop top.

  • I went up to my room and tried on the skirt.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Go on upstairs, Dorothy, and try on your things," Alma said.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "While Ginny rings that up, would you like to try on some of our makeup?" said another salesperson.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Arch stops at a sunglass rack five feet from Toby and tries on a couple of pairs.

    Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

to put on
vsto try it on
679 1.0

To dress yourself in clothes or wear things like makeup

is done specifically to check fit, appearance, or suitability before buying
to try out
vsto try it on
229 2.8

To test something to see how it works

is about checking fit, appearance, or suitability of clothing before buying
to try on
vsto try it on
56 1.1

To put on clothes to see if they fit or look good

is the same meaning but commonly used without an object pronoun
to slip on
vsto try it on
6 1.9

To put clothes or shoes on quickly and easily

is used to check fit or appearance, not merely to wear garments quickly
on for size
vsto try it on
4 6.8

To try something, like clothes, to see if it fits or works

is specifically about wearing garments or accessories to check fit and look

Surface Forms

try it on infinitive
tried it on past
tried it on past participle
trying it on present participle
tries it on third person singular

Morphology

try + it + on

The meaning 'to put on clothing to check its fit' is directly derivable from 'try' (to test or use) combined with the particle 'on' (indicating wearing/placement), while 'it' is just the pronoun object. This verb+particle composition is a common, compositional pattern in English (and parallels exist in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Try it on comes from the simple act of trying a piece of clothing on to see if it fits and looks right. So it means 'to put on something to check its fit or appearance before you buy or use it'.