▪ I. treble, n.
(ˈtrɛb(ə)l)
Forms: see next.
[a. OF. treble, n. use of treble a.]
I. 1. Anything threefold; a sum or quantity three times as great as another; the product of a sum or magnitude multiplied by three.
| [1324–5 Rolls of Parlt. I. 416/1 Que amounteront a treble & quatreble de lour coustages.] c 1430 Art Nombryng xi. (E.E.T.S.) 17 Thow most trebille the digit, and that triplat is to be put vnder the 3[rd] next figure towarde the right honde, And the vnder-trebille vnder the trebille. 1463 Rolls of Parlt. V. 502/2 Forfeiture..of the treble of his seid wages. 1475 Ibid. VI. 121/2 Uppon peyn of forfeiture of the treble of somoche as he so hath receyved or taken. 1799 Wilson in Phil. Trans. LXXXIX. 302 The equation of the halves, or quarters, or doubles, trebles, &c. of those functions. |
2. In technical and elliptical uses.
a. A triple barrier; an obstacle consisting of three successive fences.
| 1569 T. Stocker tr. Diod. Sic. iii. xi. 120/2 Hys Campe which he with a treble of wood and earth fortified. 1895 Daily News 1 May 7/5 The fences..On one side of the ring..are arranged in a ‘treble’, just far enough apart to give room between for a horse to pull himself together for each effort. |
b. Paper-making and
Printing. A frame on which hand-made paper or printed sheets are hung to dry.
| 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Paper, Carried up into the loft, and hung six or seven sheets together upon lines fastened to a thing called a Tribble, each tribble containing thirty lines ten or twelve foot long. 1766 C. Leadbetter Royal Gauger ii. xiv. (ed. 6) 371 The Sheets of Paper, taken from between the Felts, are laid one upon the other till the next Day and then are hung up, on Lines called Trebles, in the Drying-House. 1896 Daily News 23 Mar. 8/4 If time be no object, the sheets are hung on ‘trebles’ (the towel-horse is the domestic equivalent) in an ordinary room. |
c. A kind of step-dance; the measure of or music for this.
dial.| 1805 G. McIndoe Poems 18 We'll sen' for fiddling Alic, and the piper he'll play treple. 1895 D. D. Dixon Whittingham Vale v. 67 A variety of step-dancing such as the ‘treble’, the single and double ‘shuffle’, the ‘cut’ [etc.]. |
d. Whist. A game (at short whist) in which one side scores five and the other none, counting three points to the winners.
| 1870 Hardy & Ware Mod. Hoyle 30 If one side scores five while the adversaries have made not one point, the winning side makes a treble. 1876 A. Campbell-Walker Correct Card (1880) Gloss., Treble, scoring five before your adversary scores one. |
e. pl. A quality or grade of small coal.
| 1901 Scotsman 15 Oct. 4/8 There are four bush washers..one for trebles. |
f. A method of crocheting in which three loops of thread are carried on the hook; also a line or chain of crochet work done by this method.
| 1872 Young Englishwoman Oct. 555/1 Crochet rosette..3rd row:..work 11 treble on each chain scallop. 1882 Caulfeild & Saward Dict. Needlework 127/2 s.v. Crochet, Treble Stitch, Raised.— Work three rows of Ribbed Stitch. Fourth row—work 2 Ribbed Stitches, and make a Treble for next, putting the hook into the stitch underneath it of the first row, work 2 Trebles in this way [etc.]. c 1900 T. de Dillmont Encycl. Needlework, Crochet 304 Trebles are little columns or bars made of loops or stitches... They are of different kinds; the half or short treble, the plain or ordinary treble [etc.]. |
g. Racing. (
a) A total of three races won by the same horse; (
b) a bet on three horses to win the respective races in which they are entered (the usual sense).
| 1924 C. Hawtrey Truth at Last xix. 226 Many [sc. starting-price bookmakers] have further altered that rule, now limiting the odds to 50 to 1 for the double event, and 100 to 1 for treble. 1931 Daily Express 21 Sept. 15/4 Peacock wound up a fine week in Scotland, where Nevett landed a treble for him on Saturday. 1951 [see accumulator 4]. 1964 A. Wykes Gambling viii. 194 (caption) The bettor has staked a total of 27s. 6d. on his four chosen horses with 11 separate bets of 2s. 6d.—the bets consisting of six ‘doubles’, four ‘trebles’, and an ‘accumulator’ bet. 1981 P. Inchbald Tondo for Short vi. 70 Cigars, liqueurs, brandy—has he won a big treble or something? |
h. Darts. A throw into the narrow space between the two middle circles on a dartboard, worth three times the single score for the sector in which the dart lands; the space itself.
| 1936 [see double n. 3 s]. 1981 R. Lewis Seek for Justice ii. 53 The first dart flicked into the treble twenty. It was followed by a second... The microphone boomed:..‘Can he nail a third treble?.. He's done it’. |
i. Assoc. Football. The winning of three national or international competitions by one football club during a season.
| 1959 Listener 19 Feb. 331/1 The treble of League, Cup, and European Cup seemed to be at least a possibility. 1977 News of World 17 Apr. 21/2 That would make me unique, the only player who has done the double and treble. |
j. A drink of spirits of three times the standard measure.
| 1968 J. F. Straker SIN & Johnny Inch 131 Sinclair poured yet another whisky. Like the others, it came well up the glass. A good treble, Johnny reckoned. 1979 M. Babson So soon done For ii. 12 Crispin poured drinks for himself and Kay. Jeremy, he noted, had given himself a treble. |
3. One of three things or persons that are exact counterparts.
nonce-use after
double n. 2 b.
| 1898 Westm. Gaz. 29 June 1/2 There are many ‘doubles’ in the House of Commons. There seem..to be in that assembly at least two groups of trebles. |
II. 4. Music. The highest part in harmonized musical composition; the soprano part.
Cf. treble a. 2. [The musical use is supposed to have arisen from the fact that in early contrapuntal music the chief melody or
cantus firmus was given to the tenor (
tenor n. 4 a), the voice parts added above being the
discantus or alto, and the
treble (? third part) or soprano; but the history is somewhat obscure,
esp. as
triplex,
triplus meant ‘threefold’ and not ‘third’, and in
OF. treble was applied to a trio.]
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 11263 Þo clerkes þat best couþe synge, Wyþ treble, mene, & burdoun. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 54 Thi [nasal] organys so hihe begynne to syng ther messe, With treble meene and tenor discordyng as I gesse. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxxii. 19 All to small To sic ane tribbill to hald ane bace. 1567 Trial Treas. B iv, I will sing the trouble with all my harte. 1626 Bacon Sylva §109 In one of the lower Strings of a Lute, there soundeth not the Sound of the Treble,..but only the Sound of the Base. 1782 Burney Hist. Music (1789) II. v. 456 The third and Triplum the highest or treble, of which term this was the origin. 1884 H. C. Deacon in Grove Dict. Mus. IV. 165 Treble..has been said to be a corruption of Triplum, a third part superadded to the Altus and Bassus. |
| fig. 1532 More Confut. Tindale ii. i. 95 His false translacyon wyth theyr farther false construccion, they thought sholde be the basse and the tenour wheruppon they wold synge the trouble wyth mych false descant. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 112 The grasiers trade the treble and the tillers occupation the base. 1638–56 Cowley Davideis i. 458 Water and Air he for the Tenor chose, Earth made the Base, the Treble Flame arose. 1892 Daily News 16 Sept. 3/3 The dark tone of the ground..acts as bass to the treble of the silk. |
5. a. A treble voice; also, a singer having a treble voice; one who sings the treble part.
| ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 782 Than shall ye go to your even⁓song, With tenours and trebles among. 1658 Marvell Poems, Music's Empire 10 And Virgin Trebles wed the manly Base. 1719 D'Urfey Pills (1872) I. 7 The ravishing trebles delight every ear. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iv. i. 254 Two celebrated trebles;..who occasionally made twenty shillings a day by ballad-singing. |
b. transf. A high-pitched or shrill voice, sound, or note.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. vii. 162 His bigge manly voice, Turning againe toward childish trebble, pipes And whistles in his sound. 1647 H. More Poems, Cupid's Conflict vi, How well agreed the Brooks low muttering Base, With the birds trebbles. 1827 Disraeli Viv. Grey vi. iii, ‘So please your Serene Highness, I am here!’ answered a very thin treble. 1855 Tennyson Brook 40, I chatter over stony ways, In little sharps and trebles. |
6. The string of treble pitch in a musical instrument; also, the chanter of a bagpipe.
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 186 Which string..wouldst thou..harpe on? Not the base.., Nor the treble. 1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Ded. xxxviii, What sports they now deuise With Treble and Drone, and Bonfiers, and Bels. 1682 Dryden MacFl. 46 At thy well-sharpened thumb,..The treble squeaks for fear, the basses roar. |
† 7. a. A musical instrument of treble pitch, as a violin.
Obs.| 1634 MS. Archd. Oxon, Berks. c. 74 lf. 230 He plaied uppon a trebble in the house of Francis Iennings uppon a Sondaie. 1670 Eachard Cont. Clergy 62 People..presently phansi'd the Moon, Mercury, and Venus to be a kind of violins or trebles to Jupiter and Saturn. 1710 in E. W. Dunbar Soc. Life in Moray (1865) 15, I can play on the Treble and Gambo, Viol, &c. |
b. = treble bell: see
treble a. 2 b.
| 1598–9 in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 147, ij newe gudgins for y⊇ Treble and nailes, 3s. 6d. 1652–3 Ibid. 227 The Sexton shall ring the Treable at 5 a Clocke in the Morning. a 1658 Ford, etc. Witch Edmonton ii. i, Double Bells!.. Trebles: buy me Trebles, all Trebles: for our purpose is to be in the Altitudes. |
8. attrib. and
Comb., as
treble bob:
bob n.5;
treble-ringer, the ringer of the treble bell in a peal.
| 1872 Treble bob royal [see bob n.5]. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 31 Oct. 10/1 For sixty-seven years..Bunce was the treble ringer. |
Senses 2 g–j in
Dict. become 2 h–k. Add:
[I.] [2.] g. Angling.
= treble hook s.v. treble a. 3.
| 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 20 (caption) Treble (eyed and shank). 1929 Hardy's Anglers' Guide (ed. 51) 166 Particular attention is directed to the special shape of these trebles, which, instead of being of the usual round bend, are almost square at the back end, the hooks resting on each other in almost a straight line. 1960 Times 3 Dec. 9/4 Small trebles, slightly larger than salmon tube fly size, can be set easily. 1988 Sea Fishing June 15/2 The treble's three points may be in contact, but even though the line is already tight and the rod bends impressively, mackerel or bass will come off if a heavy strike is not made to pull them home. |
Sense 8 in
Dict. becomes 9. Add:
[II.] 8. The high-frequency component of (
esp. transmitted or reproduced) sound. Freq.
attrib. Cf. bass n.5 6.
| 1930 Wireless World 26 Mar. 333/1 The tone control which emphasises either treble or bass consists of a variable capacity between the input and output of the power valves. 1936 Ibid. 28 Feb. 214 Bass and treble controls. 1961 Melody Maker 9 Sept. (Suppl.) p. iii/3 Tone variation by fully independent bass and treble controls. 1977 West Briton 25 Aug. 10/6 This one suffers from..a loss of treble on some tracks. 1994 Guitarist Sept. 169/2 (Advt.), The 2-band EQ outboard preamp gives added bass and treble to any bass guitar. |
▪ II. treble, a. and adv. (
ˈtrɛb(ə)l)
Also 4–8
trebble, 6
-il; 5
trebel,
-yl(le,
-ille,
-ull, 6
treabell, 6–7
-ble, 7
Sc. treeble; 5
tribull, 5–6
Sc. trib(b)ill, 5–7
trible, 7–8 (9
dial.)
tribble; 5
tryble,
-ylle; (6
trouble).
[a. OF. treble, trebble, treuble, etc. (12th c. in Godef.):—pop.L. triplus for L. triplex. See also prec.] A. adj. 1. a. Consisting of three members, things, or sets combined; threefold; made of three thicknesses or layers of material;
= triple a. 1.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. metr. vii. 115 (Camb. MS.) He drowh cerberus the hownd of helle by his treble cheyne. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xxv. (1859) 30 Byndyng with double and treble boundes. a 1673 J. Caryl in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxl. 3 Serpents are..said to have a treble tongue, because, moving their tongue so fast, they seem to have three tongues. 1697 Dryden æneid x. 1112 Thro' treble Plates it went Of solid Brass. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xviii. II. 107 A treble inclosure of brick walls was defended by a deep ditch. 1832 R. & J. Lander Exped. Niger II. xii. 183 They had formed themselves into a large treble circle. 1907 C. Hill-Tout Brit. N. Amer., Far West vii. 130 A kind of shirt of double or treble elk-hide. |
b. Of actions, conditions, etc.: Of threefold character or application; existing or occurring in three ways or relations; of three kinds.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 159 Thus thei worchen treble sinne, That ben flatours aboute a king. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 1529 The feend thoght crist to tempt be treble vice. 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. lx. 6 The greate men were dubble and trebble traytours. 1694 F. Bragge Disc. Parables vii. 238 It would be a double and treble charity; 'twould provide for the happiness of both body and soul. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xii, It was attended with a treble difficulty. 1886 F. Harrison Choice Bks. iii. 49 Every part and episode has its double and treble meaning. |
c. Three times as much or as many; of three times the number or amount; triple.
| 1423 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 257/2 Uppon peine de inprisonement..and trible dammages to the partie greved. 1489 Barbour's Bruce xviii. 30 (Edin. MS.) Schir Eduard..said, that he suld fecht that day, Thouch tribill and quatribill war thai. 1563 W. Cothe in 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. ii. 32 It is not treble the company we have here, that is able to defend it. 1664 M. Fell in Extr. S.P. rel. Friends ii. (1911) 187 People had theire goods distreaned trible the vallue of their fines. 1788 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 526 It sells..for treble the price of common whale oil. 1835 Ure Philos. Manuf. 156 The roller A, moving with a treble surface velocity. |
(
b)
spec. of a drink of spirits: constituting three times the standard measure.
| 1964 L. Deighton Funeral in Berlin xxiii. 126 He..ordered three treble brandies. 1977 ‘J. D. White’ Salzburg Affair xvi. 137 Hendryks..raised an urgent hand for the waiter. ‘A treble scotch.’ |
2. Mus. Of, pertaining to, or suited to the highest part in harmonized musical composition.
treble voice: a voice ranging from about middle C to a twelfth or two octaves above it; a soprano voice.
treble clef: the G clef when placed (as usually) upon the second line of the stave.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 501/1 Treblesonge (K. treble of orgene songe, S. trebyl songe), precentus. Ibid., Trebyl syngare. 1530 Palsgr. 286/1 Wayte treble, bussine. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. 43 Increasing of the Voice in the Treble Part..doth oftentimes become harsh. 1678 Phillips (ed. 4), Treble, the highest part in Musick, called in Latin Altus. 1801 Busby Dict. Mus. Introd. 23 The Treble-cliff is used for the first or shrillest class, both of voice and instruments. 1876 Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms (1898) s.v., The treble or soprano voice is the most flexible of all vocal registers. |
b. Hence in the names of musical instruments (or strings) of the highest pitch.
Cf. bass,
tenor.
treble bell: the smallest bell of a peal.
| 1530 Palsgr. 282/2 Treble stryng of an instrument, chanterelle. 1595–6 in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 145 A Rope for y⊇ Treabell bell, 2s. 5d. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iii. ii. 351 The Case of a Treble Hoeboy was a Mansion for him. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. 109 The Treble-Violin is a cheerful and spritely Instrument. 1872 Ellacombe Ch. Bells Devon, etc. 235 In 1718, two treble bells were added to the peal of S. Bride's. |
c. High-pitched; high or sharp in tone; shrill.
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 110 In hir treble voyce, she fell so to cacklyng. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 35 What trebble minikin squeaks here? 1727 Gay Fables xlvi. 15 A village cur,..Imagined that his treble throat Was blest with music's sweetest note. 1860 Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. iii. vi, Bob spoke with a sharp and rather treble volubility. |
† d. ? Upper.
Obs. rare.
| 1551 Gray's N.Y. Gift iii. in Furniv. Ball. fr. MSS. I. 418 Yet at this presence—ye shall vnderstand—The papest be Ranke, and on the treble hand: Som comfford thé have; I cannott tell howe. |
3. Special collocations.
treble agent, a spy who works for three countries, his superiors in each being informed of his service to the other, but
usu. with actual allegiance only to one.
treble bar,
treble gold stripe, collectors' names for various moths: see
quots. treble block: see
quot. treble chance, a form of football pool in which various points are awarded for a draw, an away win, and a home win.
treble hook, a fish-hook consisting of three single hooks fastened back to back.
† treble letter, a letter consisting of three sheets formerly charged triple postage (
obs.).
treble lock, a lock operating by three turns of the key.
treble star, three stars so near (really or visually) as not to be separately visible without a telescope.
† treble time (
obs.), triple time.
treble X, a brand or strength of beer. See also in 2.
| 1967 Punch 11 Oct. 542/1 A list of our *treble agents in Bulgaria. 1978 W. Wingate Bloodbath i. 12 He wants out. Reckons he's earned it as a double, or treble, agent. |
| 1832 Rennie Conspect. Butterfl. & Moths 201 The Tawny *Treble Bar (Argyromiges trifasciella, Curtis)..Wings.. with three somewhat straight, equidistant, brown bands. |
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., *Treble-block, one fitted with three sheaves or rollers. |
| 1951 ‘M. Innes’ Operation Pax ii. iv. 64 ‘Heard what was last week's *treble chance?’ he asked. ‘Ninety-eight thousand.’ 1972 M. Jones Life on Dole ii. i. 102 Luck..seems as evasive as the treble-chance. |
| 1832 Rennie Conspect. Butterfl. & Moths 201 The *Treble Gold Stripe (Argyromiges tristigella, Stephens). Wings..tawny-brown, with a straight silvery-golden band before, and a second in the middle. |
| 1895 Outing (U.S.) XXVII. 222/2 Attached to each line were a sinker and a *treble hook, i.e., three hooks soldered together at such angles that when a fish has once gorged the thing, disgorgement is almost an impossibility. |
| 1753 Scots Mag. July 328/2 The rates of double letters, are always double; of *treble letters, treble. 1805 Act 45 Geo. III, c. 11 §1 For every single letter one penny; for every double letter twopence; for every treble letter or other letter under an ounce in weight three-pence. |
| 1661 Baxter Mor. Prognost. ii. xxi. 50 There shall be a *Treble-Lock upon the Door of the Ministry. |
| 1782 Herschel in Phil. Trans. LXXII. 100 The beautiful *treble star in Monoceros's right fore-foot. |
| 1686 Plot Staffordsh. ix. 371 Seven bells rung together in peal... Their number excludes them, from ever being brought, either into common or *treble-time. |
| 1856 Geo. Eliot in Westm. Rev. Jan. 5 German ennui must be something as superlative as Barclay's *treble X. 1858 C. M. Yonge Christmas Mummers vii. 95 They began to sing at the next house as loud as if they thought they should get..more than three times treble XXX ale! 1880 E. W. Hamilton Diary 7 Dec. (1972) I. 85 The Irish ‘soup’ (as Mr. Gladstone terms it) is ‘thickening’ and becoming what the brewers would call ‘Treble X’. |
B. adv. 1. In three ranks or rows, threefold; to three times the extent; three times over; trebly.
| 13.. K. Alis. 6696 In hire mouth buth teth treble set. 1552 Huloet, Treble, tripliciter. 1563 A. Nevell in B. Googe Eglogs, etc. (Arb.) 87 All these conclude him blest..And trible blest agayne. 1622 Fletcher Beggar's Bush v. i, And I'll deserve it treble. 1675 Wood Life 18 Sept. (O.H.S.) II. 322 Piers was double or treble paid by Dr. Fell. 1708 Constit. Watermen's Co. lvii, Every person offending therein, shall forfeit..treble as much as he or they respectively shall demand. |
2. In a high-pitched tone; shrilly.
| 1811 [implied in treble-skirling: see C. 2]. |
C. Combinations.
1. The
adj. in combination.
a. with
ns., as
treble-coursing, the division of an air-current in a mine into three courses or channels;
treble-seam (
Cricket slang), a leathern cricket-ball stitched with three seams;
treble-tree, an arrangement of swingle-trees for three horses abreast.
| 1897 Globe 9 July 1/5 The old bowler..declared there was a lot of human nature in a *treble-seam. |
| 1877 Knight Dict. Mech., *Treble-tree, a whiffletree for three horses. An equalizer. |
b. Parasynthetic combs. forming
adjs., as
treble-barrelled,
treble-breathed,
treble-caped,
treble-headed,
treble-mailed,
treble-piled,
treble-rampired,
treble-seated,
treble-sinewed;
treble-voiced, having a treble or soprano voice.
| 1784 New Spectator No. i. 4 The ladies have assumed the *treble-caped great coat and belt. |
| 1805 Med. Jrnl. XIV. 92 How our *treble-headed Pithon is to be augmented and increased. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xxxvi, Gnawed by a double, a treble-headed grief. |
| 1611 Cotgr., Tremaillé, *treble-mailed. |
| 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxiv, Velvet, single, double, *treble-piled. |
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, cxvii, As the wings of long-lost Day Breakes *treble-Rampierd Clouds. |
| 1808 Bentham Sc. Reform 36 The permanent substitution of *treble-seated..to single-seated judicature. |
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. xiii. 178, I will be *trebble-sinewed, hearted, breath'd. |
| 1552 Huloet, *Treble voyced, or shyll tuned, acutus, a, um. |
c. With
ns., forming adjectives or attributive phrases, as
treble-cylinder,
treble-shovel;
treble-bite,
treble-wedge-fast, systems of breech-action in hand guns.
| 1892 Greener Breech-Loader 22 With an efficient holding-down bolt, engaging with it as in the *treble-bite breech-action. |
| 1877 Knight Dict. Mech., *Treble-cylinder Steam⁓engine, an engine having a pair of large cylinders for the continuation of the expansion, one at each side of the small cylinder. |
| Ibid., *Treble-Shovel Plow, one having three shares. A form of cultivator. |
| 1881 Greener Gun 174 Our patent *treble-wedge-fast action, with either hammerless or back-action locks and low hammers. |
2. The
adv. in comb.
a. with
pples., forming adjectives, as
treble-brandished,
treble-damned,
treble-refined,
treble-ribbed,
treble-riveted,
treble-twisted, etc.;
treble-dated, living three times as long (as man); (in sense B. 2)
treble-skirling.
b. with
vbs., as
treble-man,
treble-shot.
| 1877 Tennyson Harold i. i, Yon grimly-glaring, *treble-brandish'd scourge. |
| 1824 Coleridge Lett., to J. Gillman (1895) 730 If he be not a *treble-damned liar. |
| 1601 Shakes. Phœnix & Turtle 17 Thou *treble-dated crow,..'Mongst our mourners shalt thou go. |
| 1805 Pike Sources Mississ. (1810) 51 We were obliged to take on but one sled at a time and *treble man it. |
| 1694 Salmon Bate's Dispens. ii. vi. (1713) 604/2 With its equal Weight of *trebble-refined Sugar. |
| 1896 Daily News 14 Nov. 6/6 Besides deed-boxes, there were other receptacles..some *treble-ribbed with iron or copper. |
| 1662 Gerbier Princ. 18 Casements *treble riveted, to keep out Wind and Rain. 1874 Thearle Naval Archit. 131 For treble-riveted butt straps, nineteen diameters in breadth are required by Lloyd's. |
| 1884 H. Collingwood Under Meteor Flag 74 Request Mr. Flinn to *treble-shot his larboard broadside. |
| 1811 W. Tennant Anster Concert xiii, High o'er the tenor sounded shrill The *treble-skirling women. |
| 1867 Baker Nile Tribut. ii. (1872) 32 A powerful hook, fitted upon *treble-twisted wire. |
▪ III. treble, v. (
ˈtrɛb(ə)l)
[f. prec. Cf. OF. trebler (13th c. in Godef.).] 1. trans. To make three times as many or as great; to increase threefold; to muliply by three.
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 lf. 32 Ȝif þe contreie..ne ansuuerez noȝt..þe peine sal ben itrebbled. c 1430 Art of Nombryng xi. (E.E.T.S.) 17 Thow most trebille the digit. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 302 Double sixe thousand, and then treble that. 1666 Sancroft Lex Ignea 28 His Insolence doubles and trebles the Vexation. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5833/2 Which trebles the Duty..payable by the Exporter. 1885 Dunckley in Manch. Exam. 20 July 6/1 During the present century the population has just about trebled itself. |
b. To fold in three thicknesses; to make in three layers.
| 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 62 Caparisons for their horses made of leather artificially doubled or trebled vpon their bodies. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 316 A Cambolin of pure lawn..trebled on and about their naked shoulders. |
c. To be three times as many or as much as.
| 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 115 Madein, A coyne of siluer that trebles the Asper for value. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain xxxiv. (Pelh. Libr.) 250 A body of the Carlists,..whose numbers more than trebled his own. |
2. intr. (for
refl.) To grow to three times the number, amount, or size; to become threefold.
| 1625 Fletcher Noble Gent. ii. i, Now I see your Fathers honours Trebling upon you. 1797–8 Wellington in Owen Desp. (1877) 777 It has more than trebled since the peace of '83. 1815 Simond Tour Gt. Brit. I. 170 The rent of land has trebled in the last fifty years. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xix. 145 Mr. Levy reduced the price of the paper... The circulation doubled, trebled, quadrupled. |
† 3. intr. To emit a high-pitched or shrill sound; also, to sing the treble part to (
const. upon) the lower parts or plain-song in a harmonized composition (in
quots. fig.).
Obs.| c 1425 Cast. Persev. 1900 in Macro Plays 134, I here trumpys trebelen al of tene. a 1591 H. Smith Wks. (1866) I. 458 A nightingale..when she is in a pleasant vein, quavers and capers, and trebles upon it. 1606 S. Gardiner Bk. Angling 103 The singster of Israel hath..giuen vs the Notes wee must alwayes treble vppon. |
† b. trans. To utter in a high-pitched or shrill tone.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1616 Chapman Homer's Hymn to Hermes 645 He outrageously (when I accus'd him) trebled his reply. |
Hence
ˈtrebled ppl. a., made treble, threefold.
| ? c 1400 Lydg. æsop's Fab. i. 23 With trebled [v.r. treble] laudis yeve to the trynité. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn., Moles, etc. 38 Divide the trebled number into two. a 1711 Ken Preparatives Wks. 1721 IV. 43 While I by trebled Zeal and Tears Strive to retrieve my careless Years. |