▪ I. trine, a. and n.
(traɪn)
Also 4–7 tryne.
[a. F. trin, trine (13th c. in Littré):—L. trīn-us threefold, f. trēs, tria three.]
A. adj.
1. Threefold; triple.
trine compass, threefold space, i.e. heaven, earth, and sea.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 45 The eterneel loue and pees That of the tryne compas lord and gyde is. c 1450 Cov. Myst. ix. (1841) 88 Recomendyng me to that Godhyd that is tryne in trone. a 1550 Bellenden in Bannatyne Poems (Hunter. Cl.) 8/153 Thow Godheid trine, rignand in vnitie. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Trine, trinus, of three years old, or pertaining to the number three. 1675 Baxter Cath. Theol. i. i. 40 By his Trine influx of Power, Wisdom, and Goodness. a 1711 Ken Hymns Festiv. Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 248 To teach the Faith of Godhead Trine. 1735 Berkeley Reasons §17 The trine dimensions of a cube generated by motion. 1868 Gladstone Juv. Mundi viii. (1870) 227 He [Zeus] is the governor of the air..; the eldest of the trine brotherhood. |
b. trine immersion (also trin-immersion), the immersion of a person three times in baptism, in the name of the three Persons of the Trinity. So trine affusion, trine aspersion.
| 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. ii. ix. 37 When the Arrians abused Trin-immersion in Baptisme. Ibid., The Ceremony of Trin-immersion. 1657 J. Watts Dipper Sprinkled 54 She hath given over her old way of the Trine-immersion, and is upon the new path of Trine-aspersion. 1884 G. T. Stokes in Contemp. Rev. Apr. 600 If immersion cannot be used, trine affusion may suffice, accompanied by fasting. |
2. Astrol. Denoting the ‘aspect’ of two heavenly bodies which are a third part of the zodiac, i.e. 120°, distant from each other. Also, Connected with or relating to a trine aspect. Also fig. Favourable, benign: cf. quots. 1581, 1614 in B. 2.
| 1477 Norton Ord. Alch. vi. in Ashm. Theat. Chem. Brit. (1652) 100 Cause them to looke with a Trine aspect. 1594 Blundevil Exerc. iv. xliv. (1636) 502 You shall find the Moone to be in a trine aspect with the Sunne. 1605 Drayton Man in Moon 459 How the Signes in their Triplicities, Be simpathizing in their Trine consents. 1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. v. (1623) L j, If hir Princely Grace Vouchsafe with Trine Aspect reply to make. 1790 E. Sibly Occult Sc. (1792) l. 143 A trine aspect, △. |
B. n.
1. A group of three; a triad.
| 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5681 Gregor, Ambrose, and Augustyne, With Confessoris, ane tryumphand tryne. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. ii. 383 Rightly may we call those Trines (Fire, Aire and Water) but Heav'n's Concubines. c 1614 Sir W. Mure Dido & æneas iii. 291 O furyes! O Vindictive tryne. a 1711 Ken Hymns Evang. Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 40 Believe, repent, and love, this easy Trine. 1874 A. J. Ellis in Phil. Trans. XXIII. 16 A duodene..consists of 12 tones, forming four trines of major Thirds arranged in three quaternions of Fifths. |
b. spec. The Trinity; in first quot. = trinity 1 b.
| a 1568 Bannatyne Poems (Hunter. Cl.) 79/7 Off a will, substance, and equalite,..To be laud in tryne and vnite. 1613 W. Browne Brit. Past. i. v, Thou by whose hand the sacred Trine did bring Us out of bonds. a 1711 Ken Hymnarium Poet. Wks. 1721 II. 68 O holy, holy, holy Trine, Me for thyself refine. 1827 Keble Chr. Y., Trin. Sunday, Eternal One, Almighty Trine! |
2. Astrol. A trine aspect. Phr. in trine.
| 1581 N. Woodes Conflict Consc. ii. i. B iij, Now murthering Mars..With amiable tryne, apply to my beame. 1614 T. Tomkis Albumazar ii iii, Coniunctions, And fortunate aspects of Trine and Sextile. 1761 Brit. Mag. II. 465 The planets, with their conjunctions, oppositions, signs, circles, cycles, trines, and trigons. 1837 Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 176 When she was nearly in trine, and in sextile with the sun. |
3. pl. Three children (or young) at a birth; triplets.
| 1628–9 Faversham Par. Reg. (MS.), Samuell..Elizabeth..Marie..Trines of John Juyce [and] Susan. 1706 All Saints, Canterb. Par. Reg. (MS.), Jane and Mary 2 of ye trines of Wm Plummer [buried]. 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm II. 610 The two lambs which constituted the trines were..taken away to relieve the ewes. 1867 J. Campbell Balmerino iv. v. 325 He..baptized in the parish three times trines. |
▪ II. † trine, v.1 Obs.
Also 4–5 tryne, 5 trien.
[Aphetic f. ME. atrīne-n, etrīne-n, atrine:—OE. æthr{iacu}nan to touch, f. æt- at- + hr{iacu}nan to touch.]
trans. To touch.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 21 Whu shal þat wurðe, siððen wapman me ne trineð? 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 132 Sent was a vois sone fro heuene, Þat non trinde þe tres. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 87 For alle hij were vnhardy þat houede þer oþer stode, To touche hym oþer to tryne [v.rr. trien, trine, trinen, turne] hym oþer to take hym doun and graue hym. c 1400 St. Alexius (Trinity) 429 Ac hy ne dorste hem tryne [Laud ouer him trine]. |
▪ III. † trine, v.2 Obs.
Also 4–6 tryne, 5 treyne, trene; pa. tense 4 tron(e, 5 treyned, trynyd.
[Of Scand. origin: cf. OSwed. trina (pret. trān) to go, step, march, Da. trine, older trene (pret. trēn).]
intr. To go, march, step. (Chiefly in allit. verse.)
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 101 Then he tron on þo tres & þay her tramme ruchen. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1757 With trompes thay trine, and trappede stedes. Ibid. 4189 Than the traytoure..Trynnys in with a trayne tresone to wirke. a 1400–50 Alexander 4888 He..Gas him vp be degreces to þe grete lawe, Trenes to þe topward þat touched to þe cloudis. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus i. 189 [The twa] did tryne with diueris countenance. |
b. trans. with cognate obj.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 1112 To-warde þe þrone þay trone a tras. Ibid. B. 976 Trynande ay a hyȝe trot þat torne neuer dorsten. a 1400 Pistill Susan 225 But ȝit we trinet [v.r. trynyd] a trot, þat traytor to take. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 4055 The trays of the traytoure he trynys fulle euenne. |
c. apparently preserved in Rogues' Cant.
| 1622 Fletcher Beggar's Bush iii. iii, Hig...Let the Quire Cuffin: And Herman Beck strine, and trine to the Ruffin. Clause. Now interpret this unto him. Hig...Let the Constable, Iustice, and Divell go hang. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxviii, No wonder that you scour the cramp-ring, and trine to the cheat sae often. 1826 ― Woodst. xxxvi, We trine to the nubbing cheat to-morrow. |
d. (Perh. arising from a shortening of the phrase trine to the cheats = go to the gallows, be hanged). To hang (intr. and trans.).
| 1567 Harman Caveat 37 Their end is..hanginge, whiche they call trininge in their language. Ibid. 85, I towre [see] the strummel [straw] trine [hang] vpon thy nabchet [cap]. Ibid. 86 Tryning on the chates..hange on the gallowes. 1608 Dekker Lanthorne & Candle-light B ij b, [From thence] to be Tryn'de on the Chates. 1610 Rowlands Martin Mark-all E ij, If you will make a word for the Gallous, you must put thereto this word Treyning, which signifies hanging; and so Treyning Cheate is as much to say, hanging things, or the Gallous. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Trine, to Hang; also Tyburn. Ibid. s.v. Wap, Let her trine for a Make,..let her hang for a Half-penny. |
▪ IV. trine, v.3 rare.
[f. trine a. or n.]
1. trans. To put or join in a trine aspect.
| a 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arcite iii. 389 By fortune he [Saturn] was now to Venus trined, And with stern Mars in Capricorn was join'd. 1840 Browning Sordello iv. 603 'Tis done! and now deter Who may the Tuscan—once Jove trined for her—From Friedrich's path! |
2. To make a trine or triad of.
| 1834 Tait's Mag. I. 658/1 The Isthmian now of each Eternity, Trining the has-been, being, and to-be. |