trial by fire

Noun

Meaning

A test in which a person is exposed to flames in order to assess their truthfulness, commitment, courage etc.

A situation in which a soldier or other combatant faces the discharge of opposing weapons, as a test of their fortitude.

(idiomatic, by extension) Any ordeal which tests one's strength, endurance or resolve.

Examples

High school wasn't a trial by fire or some ordeal that had to be survived. It was all a big joke. You just had to provide the laugh track. Scott Westerfeld

Before the final battle in 'Poison Princess,' Evie remembered how to use her Empress powers, practiced with them to the point of exhaustion, then had a trial by fire. In a way, she earned those powers, as she hadn't before, so that was certainly a confidence builder. Kresley Cole

The best training is to play by ear: trial by fire. John Legend

I've never been able to learn from other people's mistakes - I'm not that smart - so I usually learn by trial by fire. Shia LaBeouf

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