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Added 9 October 2026

trice

/tɹaɪs/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about trice at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat).
if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash

verb

Raise with a line.
trice a window shade
Hoist up or in and lash or secure with a small rope.

Origin

From Middle English trīcen, trice, trise (“to pull or push; to snatch away; to steal”), from Middle Dutch trīsen (“to hoist”) (modern Dutch trijsen) or Middle Low German trissen (“to trice the spritsail”); further etymology uncertain. The word is cognate with Danish trisse, tridse (“to haul with a pulley”), Low German trissen, tryssen, drisen, drysen (“to wind up, trice”), German trissen, triezen (“to annoy or torment”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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