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trice

1 American  
[trahys] / traɪs /

noun

  1. a very short time; an instant.

    in a trice.


trice 2 American  
[trahys] / traɪs /

verb (used with object)

Nautical.
triced, tricing
  1. to pull or haul with a rope.

  2. to haul up and fasten with a rope (usually followed byup ).


-trice 3 American  
  1. variant of -trix.


trice 1 British  
/ traɪs /

noun

  1. moment; instant (esp in the phrase in a trice )

"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

trice 2 British  
/ traɪs /

verb

  1. nautical to haul up or secure

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of trice1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English tryse; probably special use of trise (unrecorded) “a pull, tug,” derivative of trisen, “to pull”; see trice 2

Origin of trice2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English trisen, from Middle Dutch trīsen “to hoist,” derivative of trīse “pulley”

Origin of -trice3

< French or Italian -trice < Latin -trīcem, accusative of -trīx -trix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Nowadays it often seems writing is nothing at all,” Duras recorded in it presciently, years before the internet made everyone a créateur or -trice.

From New York Times • Nov. 27, 2022

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