A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

in trial • on trial
in trial —said of lawyers’ activities during trials: “Will you
be home for dinner tonight?” “I don’t think so. I’m in trial all
week, so I have to work late again.”
on trial —
1
. being tried in a court of law for an offence: All
those in the “know” maintain that it was a man who was never
on trial. 2. in a state of probation (until it is seen whether a
person is suitable for a position, etc.): I will take the maid for
a month on trial. 3. when tried out or tested: Mr. Boyes found
on trial that the stone would scratch glass. “I believe it to be
a diamond,” he observed gravely.
Note: 
Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase
at the trial
— in the course of the legal process in a court of law:
They were not allowed to say what they wanted to say at the
trial.
in trust • on trust
in trust—(of money) held or invested for a person by another
individual or an organization: His mother’s money was left in
trust for him to acquire at the age of twenty-five.
on trust—
1
. (of declarations, etc.) accept without asking for
proof: Official statements are no longer taken on trust. The
phenomenon is called the “credibility gap.” 2. on credit: The
man who purchases on trust not only pays for the trust, but
he also pays his due share of what the tradesman loses by trust.
in turn • in turns
in turn —
1
. one at a time in sequence; one after the other:
He asked each of the boys in turn whether they had taken the
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in turn

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book. 2. (also: in one’s turn) when one’s turn or opportunity
comes: I took Sally out to lunch, and she took me out in turn.
3. (of two or more people) do smth. alternating at regular inter-
vals: A team of volunteers take it in turn to look after pre-
school children.
in turns —(also: by turns) = in turn 3: The boys will take it
in turns to row for some estimated four days.