Middle English Dictionary Entry
treblen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | treblen v. Also treble, trebelen, trebille, tribil, tribble; ppl. i)trebled, itrebbled. |
| Etymology | OF trebler |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To multiply (a number) by three, triple; also, increase (sth.) threefold; ppl. trebled, tripled; also, triple [quot. c1475]; (b) of a trumpet: to sound shrilly.
Associated quotations
a
- a1325 *Rwl.Statutes [OD col.] (Rwl B.520)lf.32 : Ȝif þe contreie ne answereȝ noȝt..Þe peine sal ben itrebbled.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1126/7 : Some serpentes haueþ many hedes For somme ben double and somme ytrebled [L triplicata] and somme quatrebled.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.946 : Takyng þe lyne þat kerueþ þoruȝ þe centre..And treblid it, with þe sevenþe part, He fynde myȝt..Þe mesour hool of þe circumference.
- a1425(c1384) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Ezek.21.14 : Therfor thou, sone of man, prophecy, and smyit hoond to hoond, and the swerd be doublid, and the swerd of sleers be treblid.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)259/3200 : Þe dyameter of erth..as techys Ptholome in Almagesty, differencia 121 600 m & 500 m mile; treble þat, id est, do twys als mykyll þareto, & þat is þe cercle aboute.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)501 : Trebelyn, or make threfolde: Triplico.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)181 : Al þis y meene of directe and riȝt forþ sendyng of beemys and liȝt, and not of reflexioun and aȝen turnyng, and so doublyng twey fold or treblyng þre fold þe beemys.
- c1450 Art Number.(Ashm 396)49/26 : Thow most trebille the digit, and that triplat is to be put vnder the 3 next figure towarde the right honde.
- c1475 Lydg.Aesop (Hrl 2251:Sauerstein)p.3 : Voyce vigour callyng thryes in nombre With trebled laudis yeve to the Trynite.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)130a : To Trybyll: triplare, triplicare.
- a1484 Treat.7 Lib.Arts (Trin-C R.14.52)1050/471 : Take half of the diametir and multiplie bi that half the circumferens and ye shal have the floore of the holl circule; as if the dyametir of a rounde floore be xiiij foote, treble xiiij and it is xlij, [etc.].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)9265 : Glorified shal be þe wise..And trebled shal be her blisse.
b
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)1899 : I here trumpys trebelen al of tene.