(a) Ordinal number as adj.: third;—freq. in adv. phrases of time: the (than) ~ dai, the ~ morn (night, time, etc.), etc., on the third day (morning, night, occasion, etc.), for the third time, etc.; (b) in proverbs and prov. expressions.

In combs. & phrases: (a) ~ best (wel), third best; ~ dai gone (dai hennes), the day before yesterday; ~ degre (gre), the third of four degrees of qualitative intensity; ~ half yer, half ~ yer, two and a half years; ~ heven, the third of the regions comprising the heavens, usu. the crystalline sphere; ~ houre, the third hour of the day, nine o'clock; ~ man (office), the third-ranking man (office) in a government; ~ nones, the third day before the nones; ~ part, a measure for dispensing ale; ~ tonge, the tongue of a backbiter or of a flatterer; ~ worldes elde, the third age of the world; him ~ som, one of a threesome, the third member of a group of three; this ~ dai, this dai ~ dai, todai (the) ~ dai, two days from now; til that the ~ cok began to singen, until nearly dawn; (b) gram. ~ declinson, third declension; ~ persoune, third person; ~ sillable, the antepenult; (c) ~ del, q.v.; the ~ part (partie), the third part of something, one-third; the ~ peni, one-third the monetary amount.

(a) Ordinal number as noun: the third verse, river, man, etc.; also, gram. the third person [quot. a1500 Add.37075 Formula]; (b) the third part of something, one-third; also, a third portion of spoils of war, payable to the king or other superior; (c) in titles: the third bearer of a name; also in date [quot. 1425]; (d) the third in command; also, the third section of a column of infantry, the rear guard; (e) mus. the interval between two notes three steps apart on the diatonic scale; (f) as quasi-adv.: in the third place, thirdly; (g) in prov. expression.