from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
tierce
n 1: the third canonical hour; about 9 a.m. [syn: {terce},
{tierce}]
2: the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
[syn: {three}, {3}, {III}, {trio}, {threesome}, {tierce},
{leash}, {troika}, {triad}, {trine}, {trinity}, {ternary},
{ternion}, {triplet}, {tercet}, {terzetto}, {trey}, {deuce-
ace}]
3: one of three equal parts of a divisible whole; "it contains
approximately a third of the minimum daily requirement" [syn:
{one-third}, {third}, {tierce}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tierce \Tierce\, n. [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.
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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.
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3. (Mus.) The third tone of the scale. See {Mediant}.
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4. A sequence of three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce
of ace, king, queen, is called tierce-major.
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5. (Fencing) A position in thrusting or parrying in which the
wrist and nails are turned downward.
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6. (R. C. Ch.) The third hour of the day, or nine a. m,; one
of the canonical hours; also, the service appointed for
that hour.
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