test for

test for (something)

To apply or administer a test (to someone or something) in order to determine, identify, or verify something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "test" and "for." It's standard procedure to test for any immune system deficiencies ahead of such a major operation. They're testing everyone in the city to make sure there isn't another outbreak.
See also: test
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

test someone or something for something

to apply a test to someone or something to try to determine something or identify something. They tested me for all sorts of diseases. Ken tested the roof for weak spots.
See also: test

test for something

to try to find out about something by testing. We are testing for weak places in your roof. That's the noise you hear up there. They are testing for some sort of infection.
See also: test
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

test for

v.
To administer a test to someone or something in order to determine the presence of something: The technician tested the blood sample for leukemia. The doctor tested the children for head lice. This procedure tests for the presence of harmful substances.
See also: test
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • test for (something)
  • test out
  • the Bechdel test
  • bring (one) to the test
  • put (someone or something) to the test
  • put somebody/something to the test
  • put to the test
  • cram for a/the test
  • piss test
  • fill in
References in classic literature
Don't you see that it gives us an infallible test for blood stains.
A Study In Scarlet
"I am an aspirant to membership in the palace guard," I said, "and from yonder window in the tower where I was confined awaiting the final test for fitness I saw this brute attack the this woman.
Warlord of Mars
Our systematic approach to screening requests to test for agents with the potential to threaten global health can prevent arbitrary decision making, reduce inappropriate testing, and increase the value of laboratory consultation.
Screening laboratory requests
When she learned that a blood test for colorectal cancer was under development, she warmed to the idea of being screened.
The screen team: less unpleasant colon exams might catch more cancers
Another format is to test for the consistency of permeability.
Characterization and integrity testing utilizing corona beam technology
Even supposedly simple targets for replacement, such as the Draize test for eye irritation, have proved difficult to model in vitro and progress through successful external validation despite major efforts by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternatives (ECVAM), industry trade associations, individual companies, and academia.
Alternatives to toxicity testing in animals: challenges and opportunities
Students take the ThinkLink tests three times each year: in the fall they measure content from the previous year; mid-year they test content that will be on that year's summative test; and about six weeks before the year-end summative test for predictions about whether the child will reach proficiency.
Making assessments work: your district just overhauled its assessments. Are you sure these improvements are reaching your students?
Note that STARHS only applies to persons who have tested positive with the regular HIV test--not those picked up only by a direct test for the virus, whose serum would certainly show up negative on the detuned test used for STARHS.
New testing for very early HIV diagnosis
Most secondary-school teachers test for low-level competencies because that is what they teach.
Money and motivation: other nations elicit better performance from their students through the use of high-stakes graduation exams. Along these same lines, Michigan now links college scholarships to high-school test results
In addition to questions about HIV and AIDS knowledge and attitudes, participants were asked "As far as you know, have you ever had your blood tested for HIV?" Those who reported ever having been tested were also asked "What was the main reason you had your test for HIV?" Respondents who answered "just to find out if infected," "routine check-up," "doctor referral," "sex partner referral," "because of pregnancy," "because I am at risk" or "other" were considered to have been tested voluntarily; those who were tested because of illness, hospitalization or surgery, or for insurance, employment, a marriage license, military service, immigration or occupational exposure were considered to have been tested involuntarily.
About half of U.S. adults have had an HIV test, but testing often occurs late in the course of infection
So network administrators test for flaws, guard against intrusion and put in load balancers.
Network and application layer tests reveal security gaps
This is a common test for structural members, or parts that will be subjected to very high weight and force applications.
Destructive methods for testing casting quality. (Casting Facts)
The IRS notes, however, that even if the tax year fails in some later year to qualify as a permitted year under the original test for which it granted approval (e.g., the 25%-gross-receipts test), the taxpayer would not have to change its existing tax year if it can demonstrate that the year is permitted under some other test (e.g., the annual-business-cycle test).
New rules on accounting-period changes for partnerships and S corporations. (Accounting Methods & Periods)
This allows the users the flexibility to test for a given negotiated algorithm and then make subtle changes to the test configuration to test for more IKE specific problems.
Information technology measurement and testing activities at NIST
The J750k, an expansion to the successful INTEGRA J750 Family of test systems, offers the lowest cost of test for low-end semiconductor devices.
TERADYNE EXPANDS THE INTEGRA J750 FAMILY OF TEST SYSTEMS