In a spirit of optimism, getting me to hold a test (4)

I believe the answer is:

oral

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'test' is the definition.
(oral is a type of examination)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for oral that I've seen before include "By word of mouth, say exam" , "Relating to the mouth - exam" , "Mouth-related" , "Relating to speech" , "Verbal" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.