1. (a.) Done on a trial basis; experimental; temporary\.

2. (n.) An essay; a trial; an experiment.

acting ad hoc ad interim alternate alternative ambling analytic apprehensive awkward backup band-aid blankminded callow canny careful cautious circumspect claudicant counterfeit crawling creeping creeping like snail cut-and-try dangerous deliberate demurring desultory determined diffident discreet disinclined dumb dummy easy empirical empty empty-headed equivalent ersatz examinational examinatorial examining experimental explorational explorative exploratory fact-finding fake faltering feeling flagging foot-dragging gauche gentle gingerly gradual green groping guarded halting hazardous heedful hesitant hesitating heuristic hit-or-miss hobbled hobbling idle ignorant imitation improvisational improvised inane indagative indecisive indolent inexperienced infirm innocent insecure inspectional inspectorial insubstantial interim investigational investigative investigatory irresolute jibbing judicious jury-rigged know-nothing languid languorous lazy leaving out nothing leisurely limping lumbering makeshift makeshifty mindful mock moderate naive nescient noncommittal on guard overlooking no possibility pawky perilous phony pilot pinch poking poky politic precarious probationary probative probatory proving provisional provisory proxy prudent raw regardful relaxed reluctant reserve resolute risky safe sauntering scrupling secondary shaky shifting shifty shilly-shallying shuffling shy simple slack slippery slothful slow slow as death slow as molasses slow as slow slow to act slow-crawling slow-foot slow-going slow-legged slow-moving slow-paced slow-poky slow-running slow-sailing slow-stepped sluggish snail-paced snaillike spare speculative staggering sticking stickling stopgap straining strange to strolling substitute temporary test testing thorough ticklish timid toddling token tortoiselike tottering treacherous trial trial-and-error trudging trying turtlelike unacquainted unadventurous unapprized uncertain uncommunicative uncomprehending unconversant undaring undependable uneasy unenlightened unenterprising unfaithworthy unfamiliar unhurried unilluminated uninformed uninitiated unintelligent unknowing unposted unprecipitate unreliable unsound unstable unsteadfast unsteady unsubstantial unsure untrustworthy unversed utility vacillatory vacuous venturesome verificatory vicarious waddling willing wobbly zetetic