trial balloon
noun [ C ] uk/ˌtraɪəl bəˈluːn/ us/ˌtraɪəl bəˈluːn/
试验气球，试探性言论（或行动）
something that is done or announced as a test in order to find out how people would react to something similar
Politicians float trial balloons to see how the public reacts to their ideas. 政客们飘起几只试验气球，看看公众对他们的想法会作出什么样的反应。
- More examples
- The administration floated a trial balloon on immigration reform earlier this summer, indicating that it was considering a legalization plan.
- A lot of things I write I put on my website first, sort of as trial balloons.
- Many analysts saw the meeting as a trial balloon intended to gauge the level of interest and resistance to such a move.
- Often a lower-ranking official has floated a trial balloon to see what the reaction would be to that kind of statement.