trice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowLiterary, somewhat archaic
Quick answer
What does “trice” mean?
A very short period of time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very short period of time; an instant.
A brief moment, often used in the phrase 'in a trice' to indicate something happening quickly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly old-fashioned or quaint in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora, found mostly in literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “trice” in a Sentence
in a triceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trice” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Obsolete/nautical) To haul or tie up using a rope. e.g., 'They triced up the sail.'
American English
- (Obsolete/nautical) To pull something up and secure it. e.g., 'Tricing the hammock was part of the drill.'
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in hyperbolic marketing: 'Our software solves the problem in a trice.'
Academic
Virtually never used in formal academic writing.
Everyday
Very rare in casual speech. Might be used for humorous or dramatic effect.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trice”
- Using 'trice' as a standalone noun without 'in a'. (Incorrect: 'I'll be there a trice.')
- Confusing 'trice' (noun) with 'thrice' (adverb meaning three times).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, somewhat archaic word almost exclusively used in the idiom 'in a trice'.
No, in modern English it is not used as a standalone noun. You must use the phrase 'in a trice'.
They are synonyms, but 'instant' is neutral and common, while 'trice' is literary and fixed in the phrase 'in a trice'.
Yes, but it is obsolete and was a nautical term meaning to haul or tie up with a rope. It is not related to the 'time' meaning.
A very short period of time.
Trice is usually literary, somewhat archaic in register.
Trice: in British English it is pronounced /traɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /traɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in a trice”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'trice' rhyming with 'ice' that melts in an instant.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A MOVING OBJECT (it passed in a trice).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'in a trice' mean?