TIERCE

third, one-third, tierce

(noun) one of three equal parts of a divisible whole; “it contains approximately a third of the minimum daily requirement”

three, III, trio, threesome, tierce, leash, troika, triad, trine, trinity, ternary, ternion, triplet, tercet, terzetto, trey, deuce-ace

(noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

terce, tierce

(noun) the third canonical hour; about 9 a.m.

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

tierce (plural tierces)

(obsolete) A third.

(religion, Roman Catholic) synonym of terce: the third canonical hour or its service.

(now, historical) A measure of capacity equal to a third of a pipe, or a cask or other vessel holding such a quantity; a cask larger than a barrel, and smaller than a hogshead or a puncheon, in which wine or salt provisions, rice, etc, are packed for shipment.

(music) The third tone of the scale. See mediant.

(card games) A sequence of three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce of ace, king and queen is called tierce-major.

(fencing) The third defensive position, with the sword hand held at waist height, and the tip of the sword at head height.

(heraldiccharge) An ordinary that covers the left or right third of the field of a shield or flag.

(obsolete) One sixtieth of a second, i.e, the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system. (Also known as a third.)

Anagrams

• cerite, receit, recite

Source: Wiktionary

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Tierce, n. Etym: [F. tierce a third, from tiers, tierce, third, fr. L. tertius the third; akin to tres three. See Third, Three, and cf. Terce, Tercet, Tertiary.]

1. A cask whose content is one third of a pipe; that is, forty-two wine gallons; also, a liquid measure of forty-two wine, or thirty- five imperial, gallons.

2. A cask larger than a barrel, and smaller than a hogshead or a puncheon, in which salt provisions, rice, etc., are packed for shipment.

3. (Mus.)

Definition: The third tone of the scale. See Mediant.

4. A sequence of three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce of ace, king, queen, is called tierce-major.

5. (Fencing)

Definition: A position in thrusting or parrying in which the wrist and nails are turned downward.

6. (R. C. Ch.)

Definition: The third hour of the day, or nine a.m.; one of the canonical hours; also, the service appointed for that hour.

Tier*cé", a. Etym: [F.] (Her.)

Definition: Divided into three equal parts of three different tinctures; -- said of an escutcheon.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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