try it on

idiom

British, informal

1

: to behave badly so that someone becomes annoyed or angry

—often + with

Don't take any notice of him—he's only trying it on with you.

2

: to try to start a sexual relationship with someone

—often + with

He tried it on with a girl at the pub.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

The shoe is long and narrow, so make sure to try it on in-store. —Nerisha Penrose, elle.com, 22 Apr. 2023

Since the drug had been in use for decades and had a reasonable safety profile for both adults and children, the team requested approval from the FDA to try it on Marley; it was granted soon after. —Emma Yasinski, Discover Magazine, 16 Oct. 2022

Also try it on grilled vegetables to make a seriously satisfying vegetarian dinner. —Becca Miller, Good Housekeeping, 30 June 2022

Now try it on someone who deserves your attention: a certain text-snooping, self-loathing provider of pills and excuses. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 30 May 2022

Also, never use the same password for all your online activity, because if a service is breached and your password is exposed, cybercriminals may try it on another account. —Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 5 May 2022

But!—the gown is on display at the museum, so fans think Kim and Pete visited to check it out and possibly try it on. —Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 2 May 2022

The experience isn’t without risks — especially for women and people of color — and Weathers doesn’t necessarily recommend that anyone try it on their own. —Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2022

For Hurley, the man now taking on the NFL is the same one who showed up at a YMCA cookout with a Super Bowl ring — not to show it off, but to let all the kids try it on. —Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Feb. 2022

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