trice
Now only in the phrase in a trice: a very short timeNow only in the phrase in a trice: a very short time; the blink of an eye, an instant, a moment.
Meaning
2 sensesNow only in the phrase in a trice: a very short time; the blink of an eye, an instant, a moment.
Augenblick
мигmig
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
(obsolete, rare)A pulley, a windlass (“form of winch for lifting heavy weights, comprising a cable or rope wound around a cylinder”).
Translations
2 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English trīce, trise, in the phrase at a trīce (“with a single, quick motion;From Middle English trīce, trise, in the phrase at a trīce (“with a single, quick motion; at once”, literally “with a pull or jerk”), later also in the phrases in a trice, on a trice, and with a trice. The word is ultimately from Middle English trīcen: see etymology 1 above.
From Middle English trīce, tryys, tryyst, from Middle Dutch trīse, trijs (modern Dutch trijs (“hoisting-block, pulley, windlass”)) or Middle Low German trīsse, trītse (“hoisting-rope, tackle”); probably related to the verb trice (see etymology 1 above), and perhaps to Old English tryndel (“roller, wheel”) (see further at trend, trindle). The English word is cognate with Danish tridse, trisse (“pulley”), Low German trissel (“dizziness; whirling”), German trieze (“crane; pulley”), Norwegian triss (“pulley”), Swedish trissa (“pulley, truckle”).
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