[a. AF. triable, f. as TRY v. + -ABLE.] That may be tried.
1. Law. Capable of being tried in a court of law; liable to judicial trial. Also transf. a. Of a cause or offence.
1429. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 346/1. What issue triable be enquest … happethe to be taken … that hit be tried be enquest of the corps of the saide Shire.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 21. Plees … triable by any Jury or Inquest.
1600. Tate, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., I. 8. I hold all appeals triable in the King’s Bench lawfull.
1770. Burke, Pres. Discont., Wks. II. 339. A direct simple issue … triable by plain men.
1865. Nichols, Britton, II. 161, note. A writ of right, triable by battle or great assise.
b. Of a person.
1554. St. Trials, Sir N. Throchmorton (1730), I. 76/1. The Partie triable … shall finde himselfe in much worse case, than before when those cruell Lawes stoode in force.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1113/2. The principall and accessaries in felonie and murther be triable and punishable by the common law.
1697. trans. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 243. All that belong to the Inquisition being not subject to or tryable by any other Jurisdiction.
1748. J. Lind, Lett. Navy, ii. (1757), 99. All persons are triable by court martials, tho’ they have quitted the service, for things done while in the service.
1883. Sat. Rev., 10 Feb., 170/2. Englishmen are now triable for all kinds of misdemeanours and crimes … in the High Court at Allahabad.
2. That may be ascertained, tested, or proved.
1612. Sturtevant, Metallica (1854), 27. A triable Inuention is an inuention whose worth and goodnesse cannot certainly appeare before trialls and experiments.
1626. Donne, Serm., xxi. (1640), 202. The matter is matter of faith … considerable, and triable by reason.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., i. 28. In our above-mentioned first Experiment, and … others tryable in our Engine.
1906. Baynard, in Sir J. Floyer, Hot & Cold Bath., II. 210. She had tried all things triable.
Hence Triableness.
1847. in Webster.
