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trice

1
[ trahys ]
/ traɪs /
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See synonyms for trice on Thesaurus.com
noun
a very short time; an instant: in a trice.
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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
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Origin of trice

1
1400–50; late Middle English tryse; probably special use of *trise a pull, tug, derivative of trisen, to pull; see trice2

Words nearby trice

tricalcium silicate, tricameral, tricarboxylic, tricarboxylic acid cycle, tricarpellary, trice, tricentenary, tricentennial, tricep, triceps, triceratops

Other definitions for trice (2 of 3)

trice2
[ trahys ]
/ traɪs /
verb (used with object), triced, tric·ing.Nautical.
to pull or haul with a rope.
to haul up and fasten with a rope (usually followed by up).

Origin of trice

2
1350–1400; Middle English trisen<Middle Dutch trīsen to hoist, derivative of trīse pulley

OTHER WORDS FROM trice

un·triced, adjective

Other definitions for trice (3 of 3)

-trice
variant of -trix.

Origin of -trice

<French or Italian -trice<Latin -trīcem, accusative of -trīx-trix
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to trice

moment, outburst, bit, date, flash, hour, juncture, minute, occasion, point, stage, time, burst, jiffy, shake, show, twinkling, breath, crack, sec

How to use trice in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trice (1 of 2)

trice1
/ (traɪs) /
noun
moment; instant (esp in the phrase in a trice)

Word Origin for trice

C15 (in the phrase at or in a trice, in the sense: at one tug): apparent substantive use of trice ²

British Dictionary definitions for trice (2 of 2)

trice2
/ (traɪs) /
verb
(tr often foll by up) nautical to haul up or secure

Word Origin for trice

C15: from Middle Dutch trīsen, from trīse pulley
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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