Three

a. and sb. Forms: see below. [OE. þrí (þríe), þrío, préo, Com. Teut. and Indo-Eur.; = OFris. thre m., thria f., thriu, thria n.; OS. thrie (thria, threa) m., threa f., thrua (thriu, thria) n. (MLG., LG. drê, dru n., MDu., Du. drie); OHG. drî, drio, driu (MHG. drî(e, Ger. drei); ON. þrír, þrjár, þrjú (Norw., Sw., Da. tre); Goth. *þreis, þrija; :—OTeut. *prî^z (:—*þrijiz), *þrijā:—Indo-Eur. treies, treja. Cf. Skr. trayas, Zend θri, Gr. τρεῖς, τρία, L. trēs, tria, Lith. trýs, OSlav. trⁱje, trije, Irish and Welsh tri. The masc. has the form of a plural -i stem.]

  A.  Illustration of Forms.

  α.  nom. and acc. 1 masc. þrí, þríe, þrý (þréo), fem. and neut. þrío, þréo, (ONorth. ðríu, ðría, ðréa); 2–4 þreo, 1–5 þre, (2 þru (? ü), 2–3 þri, þro, 2–4 þrie), 4 þree, (tre), 4–6 thre (6 threy, thrie), 5– three.

803.  Charter Cnðred, in O. E. T., 442. Þisses londes earan ðrie sulong.

c. 825.  Vesp. Hymns, v. (O. E. T., 405). Ðreo foeðan [ternos statores].

c. 891.  O. E. Chron., an. 891. Þrie Scottas comon.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Mark viii. 2. Ðrio doʓor ʓe-abidas mec. Ibid., ix. 5. Ðrea [c. 975 Rushw. ðria] husa. Ibid., Luke xi. 5. Sel me ðreo [Rushw. ðria] hlafas.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 145. Þa þre fæmnan.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xl. 12. Þa þreo clystru þæt sind … þri daʓas.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xii. 40. Þry daʓas and þreo niht.

11[?].  Sax. Leechd., III. 134. Leʓe þarto þru dæʓes & þre niht.

a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 237. Þri ampres were an mancyn.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 73. Þro þing boð þet ech Mon habbe mot.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 3. On þesse þre wuken. Ibid., 27. Þese þrie þing.

c. 1205.  Lay., 53. Þa þre boc. Ibid., 391. He ȝef Assaracun … þreo [c. 1275 þre] castles. Ibid. (c. 1275), 16589. Þreo daȝes and þreo niht.

13[?].  Cursor M., 5469 (Cott.). Þar of tre yeir was him wan. Ibid., 9192 (Gött.). Þat was vmgang jornays thrie.

1340.  Ayenb., 88. Þe þri greteste guodes.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 20. Þreo [1377 B. Þree, 1393 C. Þre] þinges.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 385/1. Three, tres & tria.

1552–3.  Inv. Ch. Goods Staffs., in Ann. Lichfield (1863), IV. 46. Stoles & fannes for threy vestiments.

1596.  Thrie [see B. I. 3].

1600.  in Shaks. Cent. Praise (Shaks Soc.), 36. The L. montegle with some thre more.

  β.  dative, 1 þrim, þrym, þriim, þrém, 1–3 þréom (3 þrom); genitive, 1 þríora, þréora.

c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., Contents IV. vi. On þriora consula dæʓe. Ibid., III. ix. § 5, On ðæm þrim ʓearum … on þrim folc ʓefeohtum.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 61. Æfter ðrim [c. 1000 Ags. Gosp. þrym; c. 1160 Hatt. Gosp. þrem] daʓum. Ibid., Mark xv. 29. On ðriim daʓum.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John ii. 6. Ælc wæs on tweʓra sestra ʓemete oððe on þreora.

c. 1100.  O. E. Chron., an. 1078. Þreom nihton ær Candelmæssan.

c. 1205.  Lay., 8059. Þas dæies æn þreom [c. 1275 a þreo] wiken. Ibid., 10034. Wið innen þan þrom ȝeren.

  B.  Signification.

  The cardinal number next above two, represented by the symbols 3, III, or iii.

  I.  as adj. 1. In concord with a sb. expressed.

803–c. 1000.  [see A].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., II. Nu weren þas þreo laȝe ȝe-writen inne þa oðre table breode sunderlipes.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 557. Noe and hise ðre sunen.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 182. Fiue thossand men … he Fedd wyt fiue laues and fisses thre.

c. 1412.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1801. Of thre conclusions moot I cheese one: Or begge, or stele, or sterue.

c. 1460.  Wisdom, 293, in Macro Plays, 45. Ye haue iij enmyes:… The worlde, þe flesche, & þe fende.

1536.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 1. This treatyse … is … diuyded in to thre bokes.

1753.  Challoner, Cath. Chr. Instr., 2. The three Divine Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

1775.  Sheridan, Rivals, IV. ii. Like Cerberus, three Gentlemen at once.

1874.  Tyndall, Fragm. Sci. (1879), I. xii. 358. Rocksalt cleaves in three directions.

  b.  Standing alone as predicate, or in concord with and following a pronoun or pronominal adj.

c. 1050.  Charter of Eadwine, in Kemble, Cod. Dipl., IV. 260. Ðise write sinden þre.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18657. & tohh þeȝȝ sinndenn alle þre An Godd.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 100. As þei þreo assenten.

13[?].  Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 228. Reuthþe and treuthþe and charite, Beþ out of lond alle þreo.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 400. Our souerane Arthour … Has maid ws thre as mediatour.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 199 b. We were all three one mannes sonnes.

1678.  Dryden & Lee, Œdipus, III. i. Tir[esias]…. By the Fates that spun thy thread! Cho[rus]. Which are three.

1845.  Browning, How they brought the Good News, 2. I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three.

  c.  Forming compound numerals with multiples of ten; originally placed first, as three and thirty (rarely thirty and three), now usually thirty-three. So also three and thirtieth (arch.: now thirty-third), etc.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Exod. xxxii. 28. Þreo and twentiʓ þusendra manna.

c. 1205.  Lay., 3870. Þer of he wes lauerd þro and þritti wintere.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 340. Aboute þree and þritti ȝeer.

c. 1470.  Golagros & Gaw., 247. The roy rekinnit on raw Thretty and thre.

1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 204. The three and twentieth Chapter endeth the exposition.

1588.  Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 301. So they departed … the three and twentie day of Ianuarie.

1725.  De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 168. A true oriental pearl … I sold it for three-and-fifty pounds.

  d.  Followed by dozen, score, and by hundred, thousand, etc., or the ordinals of these.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 75. To þrim hunde peneʓa.

a. 1123.  O. E. Chron., an. 1101. Rotbert … sceolde … þreo þusend marc seolfres habban.

c. 1220.  Bestiary, 616. Ðre hundred ȝer.

1388–.  [see THREESCORE].

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 757. Ilk ȝeir thre hundreth pund assigne the I sall.

1483.  Cath. Angl., 385/1. Threhundrethe, tricentesimus.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 205. Seuenty Temples, in one of which are set three thousand three hundred thirty three gilded Idols.

1839.  Ure, Dict. Arts, 583. With about … a three-thousandth part of arsenic.

Mod.  I can find room for three dozen begonias.

  e.  Three fourths: three out of four equal parts or portions into which a whole is or may be divided; three quarters. Often loosely or hyperbolically, the greater part, most of.

1600.  Holland, Livy, VIII. ii. 289. Two acres in the Latine countrie, with a supplement of three foure parts out of the Privernates land to make up the whole.

1777.  Robertson, Hist. Amer. (1783), III. 279. About three-fourths … of it belongs to the holder of the grant.

1779.  Mirror, No. 23, ¶ 5. He was called a good-hearted man by three-fourths of his acquaintance.

1849.  D. J. Browne, Amer. Poultry Yd. (1855), 28. They do not get perfectly feathered till they are three fourths grown.

1866.  Froude, in Sir H. Brackenbury, Some Men. My Spare Time (1909), 41. The sailor’s rule for grog—three-fourths spirit and all the water you add spoils it—applies pre-eminently to writing on practical questions.

1890.  Anthony’s Photogr. Bull., III. 200. A block of wood has a three-fourth inch hole bored in it.

  † f.  Rarely used for the ordinal THIRD. Obs.

1521.  in Test. Ebor. (Surtees), VI. 4. Witnesses, Rober Gibson … and many other, the three daye of Auguste.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. i. 142. The three party is … mine Host of the Garter.

  g.  In special collocations. Problem of three bodies (Dynamics): the problem of ascertaining the movements of three particles attracting one another under the law of gravitation (as yet only approximately solved for special cases). The three chapters (Ch. Hist.), the writings, etc., condemned by an edict of Justinian issued 544 A.D.: see quot. † The three tongues, the three inscribed on the Cross, and primarily requisite to the theologian, viz. Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. † Three trees, the gallows. Three vowels (slang), an I O U.

  Also three († blue, golden) balls (BALL sb.¹ 20); the three (Holy) Children (CHILD sb. 2 b); the three F’s (F III. 2); three faces under a (one) hood (FACE sb. 1 d); the three kings (KING sb. 1 c); the three L’s (L 7); the three Persons (PERSON sb. 7); the three R’s (R II. 2 b); three sheets in the wind (SHEET); the three sisters (SISTER sb. 4 b); three sticks (STICK sb.)

1816.  Playfair, Nat. Phil., II. 263. Mayer has also sought to determine the Sun’s parallax from one of the lunar equations, as deduced from the solution of the problem of the *three bodies.

1858.  Cayley, Math. Papers, III. 97. The problem of three or more bodies is considered by Sir W. R. Hamilton in his two … memoirs on a general method in Dynamics, Phil. Trans. 1834 and 1835.

1885.  Cath. Dict., s.v. Three Chapters, The condemnation of the *three chapters means the condemnation of (1) Theodore of Mopsuestia, his person, and his writings, (2) of Theodoret’s writings against Cyril and the Ephesine Council, (3) of a letter from Ibas to Maris the Persian, also against Cyril and the Council.

1582.  Allen, Martyrd. Campion (1908), 36. He was also very skilful in the *three tongues.

1561.  T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, II. (1577), M iij. To play your Comedye yee shall neede … as much wood as is in Sclauonia … and for preparation of the Tragedie *three trees is enough.

1582.  Breton, Toyes Idle Head (Grosart), 28/2. For commonly, such knaues as these Doe ende their lyves vpon three trees.

1822.  Scott, Nigel, xvii. The captain, who was in the habit … of paying his losses with *three vowels.

  2.  Used vaguely for a small or trifling number; a few. So three or four. Cf. TWO or three.

1534.  More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1247/2. So very a childishe fantasy, that in a matter almost of three chippes … neuer should mooue any man.

1596.  Harington, Apol. Ajax (1814), 39. After they have roved three or four idle wordes.

1638.  R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 39. If they have but three words of latin.

1825.  T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Man of Many Fr., I. 182. But as to his anger … I don’t care three of his sugar-loaves.

1842.  Borrow, Bible in Spain, xli. (Pelh. Libr.), 283. I but said three words to the alcayde of the prison.

  3.  Absolutely or with ellipsis of sb. (most often persons; otherwise to be supplied from context).

  More specifically, short for three years (of age); three tines (of a stag’s horns); also for three pounds, shillings, pence, farthings, inches, etc., as three ten = £3. 10; three and three = 3s. 3d.; one and eleven-three = 1s. 11³/₄d.; three foot three = 3 ft. 3 in.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. xviii. 20. For where two or three shulen be gedrid in my name, ther am I in the midil of hem.

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 4640. Þis þre han made a suggestioun Vn-to þe kyng touchynge þe trete.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xvi. 377. The other thre he broughte to the dongeon.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 13. Fresche water lochis…; that abundes in mony kyndes of fische, cheiflie in thrie, Killine, Skait, and Makrell.

1675.  Essex Papers (Camden), I. 319. That Trear. had lately procured from King thirteen thousand pounds for Essex, of which Trear. was to have three for himselfe.

1683.  J. Mason, Spir. Songs, XXIII. iv. The Three, when Christ did make the Fourth, Found Fire as meek as Air.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, II. 131/2. Hares, 2 a Brase, 3 a Lease.

Mod.  Which three do you choose? Any three you please.

c. 1425.  Seven Sag. (P.), 55. Er ther passe thre and fyve, Yf he have wyt and his on lyve.

1840.  Thackeray, Barber Cox, Jan. Sold in pots at two-and-three, and three-and-nine.

1872.  H. Kingsley, Hornby Mills, etc., II. 40. ‘How much money have you got, my lord?’… ‘Three-and-sixpence.’

1884.  Jefferies, Red Deer, iv. 69. At the upper end the antler divides into three points, called three on top.

1906.  C. Mansfield, Girl & Gods, v. You told me yesterday you could not afford a pug bitch you wanted, and she was only three ten.

1909.  Lady’s Realm, March, 554/2. The chubby, dirty-faced child of three.

  II.  sb. (With plural threes.)

  1.  The abstract number.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 11266. Ȝiff þu sammnesst þreo till þreo Þa findesst tu þær sexe.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21747. O four and thre qua tels euen He sal þe numbre mak o seuen.

1387–8.  T. Usk, Test. Love, III. i. (Skeat), l. 3. Among all nombres thre is determined for moste certain.

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 495. By loue, I alwaies tooke three threes for nine.

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxix. § 7. Three, being the mysticall number of Gods unsearchable perfection within himselfe.

1825.  T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Passion & Princ., vi. III. 53. It would be … useless … to expatiate upon the qualities attributable to the number Three, or quote the Graces, the Fates [etc.].

  b.  The figure (3) denoting this number.

1895.  Outing (U.S.), XXVII. 204/1. Granted control of the outside and inside edges, and the many eights, threes, loops, etc. are simplified at once.

  2.  A group or set of three things or persons. spec. a. A card, a domino, or the side of a die marked with three pips or spots. † Three, two, and ace: name of an old card game. b. Cricket. A hit for which three runs are obtained.

c. 1540.  J. Heywood, Four P. P., E ij. Take thre of the yongest and thre of the eldest…. And when all these threes be had a sunder, Of eche three, two … Shall be founde shrewes.

1578.  Timme, Caluine on Gen., 196. By seven and seven, understand not so many pairs of every kind, but threese, to the which one beast is added over and above.

1587.  Saunders, Voy. Tripolie, B iv b. Wee were cheaned three and three to an oare.

1599.  Minsheu, Span. Dict., Dial., iii. 25. Games of chiefest price, as the Reynado, the three, two and ace, still trumpe.

1607.  Shaks., Cor., II. iii. 47. We are … to come by him where he stands, by ones, by twoes, and by threes.

1755.  Johnson, Kayle, a kind of play … in which nine holes ranged in three’s are made in the ground.

1830.  Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 137. Flowers solitary, or in pairs or threes.

1836.  in ‘Bat,’ Cricket Man. (1850), 100. Threes, fours, and fives appear as easy for him to get.

1870.  Hardy & Ware, Mod. Hoyle, 77. Fifteen can be made in several ways [in cribbage]; for example, ten and five,… three fours and a three.

  c.  in military drill, when each three men form a unit for the purpose of wheeling.

1796.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 63. When a division wheels to a flank rank by three’s.

1832.  Regul. Instr. Cavalry, 14. The Threes wheel at once, upon the word ‘Threes Right,’ ‘Threes Left,’ or ‘Threes about.’

1847.  Infantry Man. (1854), 61. The company … may form threes.

  3.  a. ellipt. for three parts or divisions; as to divide a thing in(to) three.

13[?].  Cursor M., 10178 (Gött.). In thre [Cott. thrin] his godis did he dele.

1400.  Destr. Troy, 1146. Þat oþer part of our pupull put we in thre!

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., I. ix. 534. As men may be a roundall se Merkit to be delt in thre.

c. 1435.  Torr. Portugal, 686. He brast hys schyld on thre.

c. 1450.  Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 20/79. They clave my harte in III.

18[?].  G. Macdonald, Ballads, Leg. Corrievrechan, xiii. The hemp was broken in three.

  b.  With omission of hours (of the day): three o’clock (also attrib.), also simply three; half-past three; three fifteen, 3.15 = a quarter past three.

c. 1460.  Wisdom, 797, in Macro Plays, 61. At þe parvise I wyll be,… be-twyn ij ande iij.

1530.  Palsgr., 714/1. We shal nat set in tyll to morowe thre of the clocke.

1762.  Foote, Orator, I. Wks. 1799, I. 191. We shall be sure to find them at three at the Shakspeare.

1814.  Scott, Diary, 17 Aug., in Lockhart. On board at half-past three.

1902.  Eliz. L. Banks, Newspaper Girl, 42. I want you to go out at once and report that three o’clock meeting at the Methodist Church.

Mod.  Our train starts at three fifteen.

  c.  In phrases and specific uses. Three in One = the Trinity, the Triune God (also One in Three, and simply Three). Three to one, three chances to one; † in the ratio of three to one, three times (in amount) (quot. 1683). Three times three, i.e., cheers; hence as a verb (nonce-use), to utter nine times. Rule of three: see RULE sb. 8 b.

a. 1711.  Ken, Hymnarium, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 68. Most holy, holy, holy *Three, Harmonious Unity.

1849.  Rorison, Hymn. Three in One, and One in Three, Ruler of the earth and sea.

1683.  Penn, Lett. to Comm. Free Soc. Traders Pennsylv., 1. The Back-Lands being generally *three to one Richer than those that lie by Navigable Waters.

1766.  Earl March, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1843), II. 28. The odds are three to one on my side.

1813.  Chron., in Ann. Reg., 51/2. Next followed ‘The King,’ drank standing, and with *three times three.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., Concl. xxvi. Again the feast, the speech, the glee,… The crowning cup, the three-times-three.

1829.  E. Elliott, Jacobin’s Prayer, iv. And when pale Freedom’s champions fell, He three-times-three’d his carnage yell.

  d.  Threes, short for three per cent stock, or THREE PER CENTS (so three-and-a-halfs); for three-quarter-backs (in Football); for three-pennyworth (of liquor).

1850.  Thackeray, Pendennis, xxxvi. I’m told she has six hundred thousand pounds in the Threes.

1891.  Daily News, 27 April, 3/2. People who had ‘threes’ of beer and ‘large lagers,’ both of which were over half a pint. Ibid. (1895), 30 Sept., 2/6. French Threes rose on the day 15 c., to 101 for money. Ibid., 30 Dec., 7/4. Three-and-a-Halfs declined 25 c., to 105.45 for money.

1905.  Westm. Gaz., 12 Dec., 9/2. Another run by the Cambridge ‘threes’ took them down to the Oxford line once more.

  III.  Combinations (unlimited in number, of which the following are examples):

  1.  a. Adjectives formed of three and a sb. (usually in singular), meaning ‘of, pertaining to, consisting of, containing, measuring, etc. three of the things named,’ as three-act (consisting of three acts), three-bout (formed by three bouts of the plough), three-bushel, -class, -color, -cylinder, -day, -fathom, -foot (-feet), -guinea, -hand, -horse, -hour (-s), -line, -mile, -minute, -month (-s), -phase (PHASE 3), -pint, -plait, -ply, -point, -pound, -rail, -row, -shilling, -speed, -stairs, -story, -strand, -throw, -tier, -volume, -wheel. b. Parasynthetic adjs, formed on similar collocations + -ED², = ‘having or characterized by three of the things named,’ as three-aisled (having three aisles), three-angled, -armed, -bladed, -bodied, -bolted, -branched, -chinned, -colored, -coned, -corded, -crowned, -dayed, -dropped, -eared, -eyed, -faced, -fingered, -floored, formed, -grained, -groined, -handed, -hooped, -lettered, -mouthed, -necked, -nooked, -phased, -pointed, -pronged, -ribbed, -roomed, -shaped, -soled, -storied, -stranded, -suited, -syllabled, -tailed, -tiered, -toothed, -wheeled, -wormed, etc.; spec. in botanical and zoological adjs., as three-capsuled, -celled, -fibered, -flowered, -jointed, -lobed, -nerved, -petalled, -seeded, -valved, etc. (now largely superseded by terms derived from Latin, as tricapsular, trilocular, trivalvular, etc.); also with other endings, as † three-dayen (of three days), three-dimensional, † three-shapen, three-weekly. c. Parasynthetic sbs. in -er [see -ER¹ 1], as three-miler (one who goes three miles), three-mover [MOVER¹ 7], -railer, -tonner, -volumer, -wheeler.

1905.  G. K. Chesterton, Heretics, 280. If poor men wrote novels about you or me they would describe us as speaking with some absurd shrill and affected voice, such as we only hear from a duchess in a *three-act farce.

1766.  Entick, London, IV. 204. Making a *three-isled cathedral.

1865.  Cornh. Mag., July, 34. The thrice *three-angled beech nut shell.

c. 1830.  Glouc. Farm Rep., 32, in Libr. Usef. Knowl., Husb., III. Cut with a *three-bladed knife.

1574.  Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 336. I giue my condemned soule and life to the infernall *three bodyed Pluto.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 764. Beside him hung his Bow And Quiver with *three-bolted Thunder stor’d.

1770–4.  A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1803), IV. 38. Suppose … the field to be formed into *three-bout ridges.

1617.  Hieron, Wks., II. 352. This treble or *three-branched sufficiencie.

1860.  All Year Round, No. 69. 448. A hectolitre contains a trifle more than a *three-bushel English corn-sack.

1881.  C. E. Turner, in Macm. Mag., XLIV. 307. A gray riding-coat, with a *three-caped collar.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-celled Pericarp.

1846.  Baltimore Sun, 15 Dec., 2/6. One *three-color Printing Machine, with mandrills and doctors copper shelves, friction calendar and gearing.

1898.  Daily News, 15 Oct., 6/3. A very cheap way of producing … necessary blocks for three-colour printing.

1902.  Daily Chron., 10 Jan., 6/6. Methods of colour-photography,… the ‘three-colour process’ invented by Professor Lippman.

1741.  Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 403. *Three colour’d Violet or Heart’s Ease.

1649.  Lanc. Tracts (Chetham Soc.), 277. A *three-corded scourge.

1604.  Hieron, Wks., I. 576. To maintaine the state of your *three-crowned potentate.

1904.  Westm. Gaz., 28 Dec., 3/1. The best work on the Midland [Railway] was accomplished with *three-cylinder compounds.

1890.  Pall Mall G., 18 Aug., 2/1. Whether you go by a two-day or a *three-day coach.

1422.  trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 200. God Sente … Ionas to the grete Cite of Nynyvee, wyche was a *thre-dayen Iornay.

1618.  Chapman, Hesiod, Georg., II. 426. A *three-ear’d tripod.

1598.  Q. Eliz., Plutarch, x. 30. Axing for … *thre yead men.

1689.  Lond. Gaz., No. 2510/4. A *Three faced Steel Seal.

1828.  G. W. Bridges, Ann. Jamaica, II. xiv. 183. *Three-fingered Jack, the notorious rebel.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-flowered Peduncle.

1861.  Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., V. 298. Three-flowered Rush.

1567.  Golding, Ovid’s Met., VII. (1593), 157. Our *threeformed Goddesse.

1766.  Compl. Farmer, s.v. Meadow, With a shovel, hoe, or *three grained fork.

1719.  Hamilton, Ep. to Ramsay, 24 Aug., in R.’s Poems. The pleasure … snoovt away like *three-hand ombre.

1680.  Cotton, Compl. Gamester, x. 83. Some play at two handed, or *three handed Whist.

1850.  E. B. Bryan, Rightfull Remedy, 138. In this three handed game, the South, in the first place, has to set the ball in motion.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. ii. 72. The *three hoop’d pot, shall haue ten hoopes.

1812.  Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 75. A *three-horse power does very well for potatoe-oats, when the corn is fed in by a careful hand.

1906.  Kropotkin, Mem. Revolutionist (1908), I. v. 23. A three-horse carriage.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 99. I, thy *three houres wife.

1837.  Penny Cycl., IX. 13/2. [The antennæ] are generally … *three-jointed.

1653.  R. Sanders, Physiogn., 69. The *three-lettered name of the 72 Angels.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-lobed leaf.

1833.  Penny Cycl., I. 77/1. Leaves…, three-lobed.

1895.  Outing (U.S.), XXVI. 459/1. In the *three-mile run England has a decided advantage.

1899.  Daily News, 19 July, 6/5. The *three-milers were the next to appear.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 692. The gaping *three-mouth’d Dog forgets to snarl.

1891.  Athenæum, 31 Jan., 148/2. The current runs … in favour of short [chess] problems; nothing beyond *three-movers is even looked at.

1799.  H. Gurney, Cupid & Psyche, xx. (1800), 51.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-nerved Leaf.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. vi. 6. The *three nook’d world.

1892.  Lightning, 3 March, Gloss, Electr. Terms, *Three phase system, a system of distribution of electrical energy in which three alternating currents, each differing from the two others by one third of the period, are used.

1522.  in Bury Wills (Camden), 115. A *thre pynt pott of pewter.

1868.  Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 51. Carpets, treble ingrain, *three-ply, and worsted chain Venetian.

1797.  Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XIV. 66/1. One dog-tooth, and five or six *three-pointed grinders.

1866.  Crump, Banking, x. 223. Edward VI. Gold. *Three-pound piece, sovereign [etc.].

1711.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4915/4. A small *three prong’d silver Fork.

1890.  ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 283. The Colonel … rode his horse over a stiff *three-railer [fence].

1828.  Sir J. E. Smith, Eng. Flora, II. 93. Partial bracteas five, ovate, acute, *three-ribbed.

1844.  Port Phillip Patriot, 11 July, 1/3. A *three-roomed hut.

1593.  G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 109. The *three-shapen Geryon.

1640–1.  Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 149. The inch of *thrie-solled schoes, of the best leather, be sold at twa shillings twa pennies.

1902.  Daily Chron., 21 Nov., 11/4. The Sturmey-Archer *three-speed gear,… an elaboration of the well-tried ‘Hub’ two-speed gear, is exhibited by the Raleigh Cycle Company.

1852.  W. Wickenden, Hunchback’s Chest, 330. Tom Gibletts is my name, and you are in his *three-stairs back, Grove Street, Palmer’s Village.

1814.  Scott, Diary, 22 Aug., in Lockhart. There is a decent *three-storied house, belonging to the laird.

1832.  G. Long, Egypt. Antiq., I. ix. 199. To the height of 60 feet, which is considerably above the ordinary elevation of *three-story houses.

1841.  Catlin, N. Amer. Ind., I. xxi. 147. Its string was *three stranded.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, II. ii. 16. A base,… beggerly, *three-suited, hundred pound, filthy woosted-stocking knaue.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), I. 11. A *three-tailed instead of a five-tailed bandage.

1848.  Thackeray, Bk. Snobs, iii. A three-tailed Pasha.

1822.  Galt, Provost, xliii. Wearing … a white *three-tiered wig.

1883.  J. D. J. Kelly, in Harper’s Mag., Aug., 445/2. Diminutive *three-tonners … were cruising:

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Sam. ii. 13. The child … hadde a flesh hook *thre tothid in his hoond.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-valved pericarp.

1877–84.  F. E. Hulme, Wild Fl., p. viii. Capsule obtusely three-angled and three-valved.

1844.  R. P. Ward, Chatsworth, I. 115. The fee-simple of his estate in *three-volume-noveldom.

1889.  Athenæum, 10 Aug., 184/3. He has made clear the distinction between the ‘racionabilis secta’ and suit to the *three-weekly court.

1656.  Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. xxxi. (1674), 35. A *three-wheel’d Charret.

1886.  Cyclist’s Tour. Club Gaz., IV. 123. The safeties and *three-wheelers [tricycles].

1683.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xi. ¶ 1. A *Three Worm’d Spindle.

  2.  Special combinations and collocations: † three-aged a., living through three generations; three-awned a., having three awns, as in three-awned grass, the name of several American grasses of the genus Aristida; also called beard-grass (Cent. Dict., 1891); three-banded a., having three bands, as in three-banded armadillo, an armadillo of the genus Tolypeutes, distinguished by the shell consisting of three bands; three-bar a., Geom. applied to a curve generated by the motion of three bars pivoted together; three-bearded a., having three beards (BEARD sb. 3 a) or barbels, as three-bearded cod or rockling (see ROCKLING); three-birds, (a) a showy garden species of toad-flax, Linaria triornithophora, from Spain; (b) name of two American orchids, Pogonia pendula and Triphora trianthophora, also called nodding cap (Cent. Dict., 1891, and Suppl., 1909); three-bottle a., applied to one who can drink three bottles of wine at a sitting; three-card a., pertaining to or played with three cards, as three-card monte (see MONTE); three-card trick, a trick popular with race-course sharpers, also known as find the lady, in which a queen and two other cards are spread out face downwards, and bystanders invited to bet which is the queen; three-cleft a., cleft or divided into three segments, trifid; three-coat a., requiring three coats, as work in plastering and painting; three-cocked a., having three cocks, as three-cocked hat (COCKED ppl. a.¹); also absol. as sb.; † three-corned [CORNED² 2], three-cornered; three-day(s) fever = DENGUE; three-eight (usually ³₈) Mus., denoting a ‘time’ or rhythm with three quavers in a bar; three estates: see ESTATE sb. 6, 7; † three-fallow v., to fallow threefold: cf. THRY-FALLOW; three-field a., noting a method of agriculture in which three fields are worked on a three-course system of two crops and a fallow; three-four (usually ³₄) Mus., denoting a ‘time’ or rhythm with three crotchets in a bar; three-high a.: see quots.; three-holes, a boys’ game of marbles; three-horned a., having three horns; esp. applied to particular species of animals; three-in-hand, three horses drawing a vehicle, driven by one person; three-iron a., welded together from three strands of iron; three-life a., applied to a system of tenure under which (till 1854) land (esp. ecclesiastical and college estates) was held during the joint lives of three persons or the longest liver of them; three-light, (a) adj. having three lights: see LIGHT sb. 10; (b) sb. ‘a chandelier or candelabrum with three lamps for candles’ (Cent. Dict., 1891); † three-like a., having three equal sides, equilateral (of a triangle); three-line, three-lined a., having, consisting of, or marked with three lines; in Printing, extending through three lines, as a large capital letter; three-pounder, a thing weighing three pounds; a gun firing a three-pound ball; † three-shafted a. (cf. Ger. dreischäftig), of cloth, woven with treble web-shafts (see SHAFT), three-stranded; three-shear, a sheep between its third and fourth shearing; three-spined a., having three spines, as three-spined stickleback, the commonest species of STICKLEBACK; three-spot, a three-pipped playing card; three-thorned a., having three thorns, or triple thorns, as three-thorned acacia, a name for the honey-locust (Gleditschia triacanthos), a N. American tree having thorns in groups of three; † three-threads, a mixture of common ale, porter, and double (or twopenny) beer, popular c. 1700: see quots.; three-throw a., having three throws (see THROW sb.² 2), as a three-throw crank; hence, having such a crank, as three-throw pump or engine, one worked by a three-throw crank-shaft; three-two (usually ³₂) Mus., denoting a ‘time’ or rhythm with three minims in a bar; three-up, a game resembling pitch and toss; three-water a., Naut. diluted with three times its bulk of water, as three-water grog or rum; also absol.; three-went way, dial. a point where three roads meet without intersecting; cf. FOUR-WENT; three-wire a., applied to a system of distributing electric power, involving three mains and two dynamos, the two outer mains being joined to the free terminals of the dynamos, and the central main to a conductor joining the two.

1697.  Creech, trans. Manilius, I. 30. Great Atreus Sons … With *three-ag’d Nestor.

1800.  Shaw, Gen. Zool., I. 188. *Three-banded Armadillo … may be considered … as the most elegant of the whole genus;… it is a native of Brazil.

1875.  S. Roberts, in Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., 11 Nov., 14. I propose to extend … to general *three-bar motion a discussion … of some particular cases.

1876.  Cayley, Math. Papers, IX. 551. The Three-Bar Curve is derived from the motion of a system of three bars … pivoted to each other, and to two fixed points.

1806.  Surr, Winter in Lond., III. 121. Metamorphosed from a *three-bottle man to the image of temperance.

1854.  T. Parker, in Weiss, Life (1863), II. 134. *Three-card-monte men, and gambling-house keepers.

1887.  Lowell, Tariff Reform, Wks. 1890, VI. 187. They … play their three-card trick.

1793.  Martyn, Lang. Bot., *Three-cleft, trifidus. Ibid., Three-cleft-palmate leaf.

1875.  Morris, Æneid, II. 475. Three-cleft tongue.

1842.  Brande, Dict. Sc., etc., *Three-coat work. In Architecture.

1877.  Knight, Dict. Mech., Three-coat Work. (Plastering.) The first is called pricking-up on lath…. The second coat is called floating; the third, set or finishing-coat.

1813.  Ld. Palmerston, in Parl. Deb., 8 March. To see the troops in the small *three cocked hats which they formerly wore.

a. 1608.  Dee, Relat. Spirits, I. (1659), 83. The books be green, bright, and they be *three-corned.

1897.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 376. Synonyms [of Dengue] … polka fever (Brazilian), *three days fever.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 22 b. For some scede, you must not only twyfallowe and *threefallowe your ground, but also fourefallow it.

1868.  Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 156. The Polish *three-field farming.

1907.  M. C. F. Morris, Nunburnholme, 251. Supposing the three-field system to be adopted.

1902.  Westm. Gaz., 14 June, 4/3. The new waltz,… the ‘Military Dip,’ is in *three-four waltz time, and has one dip to each three counts.

1877.  Knight, Dict. Mech., *Three-high Roll (Metal-working), a rolling-apparatus in which three rollers are arranged in a vertical series.

1881.  Raymond, Mining Gloss., Three-high train, a roll-train composed of three rolls, the bar being entered on one side between the bottom and the middle roll, and on the other side between the middle and the upper roll.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, I. xi. Keep off the other boys from … playing *three-holes and chuck-farthing.

1681.  Grew, Musæum, I. vii. § 2. 163. The little *Three-Horned Beetle, Scarabæus Triceros minor.

1887.  Morris, Odyss., XII. 135. Unto the Three-horned island she sent them aloof to dwell.

1816.  ‘Quiz,’ Grand Master, VII. 198. When Jove had found that *three in hand This Jehu did not understand.

1892.  Greener, Breech-Loader, 5. Processes of Barrel Welding (1) *Three-Iron Damascus; (2) Two-Iron Damascus.

1898.  A. F. Leach, Beverley Act Bk., I. p. xlv. In 1300, one of the Canons leased, on the usual *three-life system, some of the lands of his prebend.

1618.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), I. 208. One *three light window and two single light windowes.

1551.  Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. Defin., That the Greekes doo call Isopleuron, and Latine men æquilaterum: and in english it may be called a *threlike triangle.

1683.  Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, xxii. ¶ 5. He begins his Chapter … with a … *Three or Four-lin’d Letter.

Mod.  A three-lined whip has been issued for to-night’s division in the House of Commons.

1684.  J. Peter, Siege Vienna, 109. *Three pounders of Iron.

1872.  H. Kingsley, Hornby Mills, etc., II. 232. One three-pounder is worth fishing all day for.

1876.  Bancroft, Hist. U.S., V. xx. 568. The Hessians captured two brass three-pounders, which had lately arrived from France.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 492/2 (MS. A.). *Thre schaftyd clothe, trilix.

1770–4.  A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1803), IV. 593. Under the necessity of wintering some of their *three-shears before they are marketable.

1886.  C. Scott, Sheep-farming, 18. After the third shearing, three-shear or four-shear, three or four year olds, are the definitions employed.

1822.  Hortus Angl., II. 573. Gleditschia Triacanthos. *Three thorned Acacia, or Honey Locust Tree.

1698.  W. King, trans. Sorbière’s Journ. Lond., 35. He had a thousand such Sort of Liquors, as … *Three Threads, Four Threads.

a. 1700.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Three-threads, half common Ale, and the rest Stout or Double Beer.

1802.  [see ENTIRE A. 2 b].

1829.  Nat. Philos., I. Hydraulics, ii. 12 (Usef. Knowl. Soc.). Keeping two or … three pumps constantly at work by what is called a triple or *three-throw crank.

1900.  Engineering Mag., XIX. 726. Three-throw rain pump for dip workings.

1851.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 12/1. ‘Shove-halfpenny’ is another game played by them [costermongers]; so is *‘Three up.’

1840.  P. Parley’s Ann., I. 295. A large lump of salt beef, with some *three water grog.

1905.  Daily Chron., 25 May, 4/7. Rum and water came to be called ‘grog’ likewise, being ‘two-water’ or ‘three-water’ grog, according to the proportions of the mixture.

1787.  Kentish Trav. Comp., 49. He gets to a *three-went way.

1898.  Westm. Gaz., 9 July, 7/2. There was some discussion as to the particular kind of electrical equipment to be used, but eventually the *three-wire system was adopted.