Middle English Dictionary Entry
tē̆rce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | tē̆rce n. Also teres, tierce, tiers; pl. terces, ters, tiers & tercius. |
| Etymology | OF tierce, terce, AF ter(s, tier. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Astron. and geom. A sixtieth part of a second of an arc, one thirty-six hundredth of a minute of an arc.
Associated quotations
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)375 : The kyng..made..Astronomyens..To fynde..The..houre of his natyvyte..Clerly Cerched be smale fracciouns, First be Secoundes, tiers [vrr. ters, teers, terces, tercius], and eke quartes, On Augrym stoones and on white caartes ypreued out.
2.
Eccl. (a) The third canonical hour of the day, 9 a.m.; houre of ~; heigh ~, the first part of the period from 9 a.m. to noon; (b) the office said at the hour of terce.
Associated quotations
a
- c1429 Mirror Salv.(Beeleigh)3666 : It was bot Tierce of the daye, ouer-ayrly than for drynking.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)22 : The blessed mayden marye ordeyned to hir self this manere of rule..that fro the morwe into the tierce of the day sche ȝaf hire all to prayeres, and fro tierce in to none sche occupied hir bodily with weuynge werk.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)34.189 : They weren there-Into, þe owr Of Tyers.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)25939 : They comen to douer the owr of Teeres, alle these newe knyhtes, boþe ȝonge & fers.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1427 : When þe oure of terce was done, Cuthbert sett a burde sone, And sett mete þar o pon.
- a1486 Ordin.Lists in RS 55.1 (Lnsd 285)311 : Yif he come nat at that tyme he shalbe called the thrid tyme..betwene high tierce and none.
- c1450(1446) Nightingale (Clg A.2)4/86 : She euer sat and songe..Till that hyt drogh forther of the day, Aboute the oure of tierce.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)182 : Whan he a-roos..he hadde the..myght of the beste knyght..whan he com to the houre of pryme he doubled, and at the houre of tierce [F tierce] also.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)274 : Thei a-bide till it was passed tierce.
b
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)18/24 : To vocale prayer, þat is, euery day to serue oure lord..in seyhing of matynes, prime, tierce, sexte..and complyn, thou art bownde.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)52/24 : He ordeyned þere schul no man say masse before þat he had seid the ters, þat is to sey, 'Legem pone.'