TEST

To bring one to a trial and examination, or to ascertain the truth or the quality or fitness of a thing. Something by which to ascertain the truth respecting another thing; a criterion, gauge, standard, or norm. In public law, an inquiry or examination addressed to a person appointed or elected to a public office, to ascertain his qualifications therefor, but particularly a scrutiny of his political, religious, or social views, or his attitude of past and present loyalty or disloyalty to the government under which he is to act. See Attorney General v. Detroit Common Council, 58 Mich. 213, 24 N. W. 887, 55 Am. Rep. 675; People v. Hoffman, 116 111. 587, 5 N. E. 596, 66 Am. Rep. 793; Rogers v. Buffalo, 51 Hun, 637, 3 N. T. Supp. 674. Test act. The statute 25 Car. II. c. 2, which directed all civil and military officers to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and make the declaration against transubstan-tiation, within six months after their Admission, and also within the same time receive the sacrament according to the usage of the Church of England, under penalty of ?500 and disability to hold the office. 4 Bl. Comm. 58, 59. This was abolished by St. 9 Geo. IV. c. 17, so far as concerns receiving the sacrament, and a new form of declaration was substituted. Test action. An action selected out of a considerable number of suits, concurrently depending in the same court, brought by several plaintiffs against the same defendant, or by one plaintiff against different defendants, all similar in their ci rcumstances, and embracing the same questions, and to be supported by the same evidence, the selected action to go first to trial, (under an order of court equivalent to consolidation,) and its decision to serve as a teat of the right of recovery in the others, all parties agreeing to be bound by the result of the test action. Test oath. An oath required to be taken as a criterion of the fitness of the person to fill a public or political office; but particularly an oath of fidelity and allegiance (past or present) to the established government. Test-paper. In practice. A paper or instrument shown to a jury as evidence.