trin
(trɪn)
[perh. f. trine n., conformed to twin.]
pl. Three children or young born at one birth: = trine n. 3. Also sing. one of such; also attrib. or as adj. Cf. thrin n.
| 1831 Blackw. Mag. XXIX. 998 The teeming matron is near her time, and from her bulk you may back her for trins. 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm (1849) I. 597/2 In a small flock of 50 Leicester ewes, 48 of them had twins, and 2 trins. 1875 Furnivall in Lovelich's Grail i. 291 note, Trins are always born: two males and one female. 1887 ― in J. Lane's Cont. Sqr.'s T. p. viii. note, Spenser..made the fay-born trin brethren, Priamond, Dyamond, and Triamond, fight Camballo..to see which of them could win Canace. |
b. transf. (Min.) A compound crystal of three individuals, a trilling.
| 1868 Dana Min. (ed. 5) 805 Tridymite,..in allusion to its compound forms of three individuals, or trins, from τρίδυµος. |