† tertiate, v. Obs.
(ˈtɜːʃɪeɪt)
[f. ppl. stem of late L. tertiāre, f. tertius third.]
1. trans. To do (anything) for the third time: in quot. 1628, to introduce for the third time or support as third spokesman.
| 1623 Cockeram, Tertiate, to doe a thing three times. 1628 Wotton in Reliq. (1672) 559 The Personage that should first, or second or tertiate your business with the King. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Tertiate..to Till ground, or do any thing the third time [ed. 1674 adds to tri-fallow]. |
2. Mil. To poise (a lance or pike): cf. tertiar.
| a 1691 Boyle Hist. Air xix. (1692) 183 They tertiate their Lance,..that is, they poise it in their Hand. |
3. Mil. To ascertain the strength of a cannon by measuring its thickness by means of caliper compasses, in three places: see quot. 1704.
| 1672 J. Roberts Compl. Canonier 35 To tertiate a Piece of Ordnance. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I. s.v., To Tertiate a Great Gun, is to know the thickness of the Metal at the Touch-hole, the Trunnions, and at the Muzzle. 1828 J. M. Spearman Brit. Gunner (ed. 2) 393 To tertiate a piece of ordnance, is to examine whether it has the due thickness of metal at the vent, &c. |
So † tertiˈation.
| 1658 Phillips, Tertiation,..a dividing into three, also a doing anything the third time. |