treble

treble
\ \ [14] Treble and triple [15] come from the same ultimate source: Latin triplusthreefold’.
\ \ This in turn was borrowed from Greek triplous, a compound adjective formed from tri- ‘three’ and the base *pl- ‘fold’ (which lies behind English ply and is related to English fold). Triplus passed into Old French, where it split into two: treble and triple. Both were taken over into English (the former has now died out in French). The application of treble to the highest part in music, equivalent to soprano, which dates from the 14th century, probably comes from the notion of its being the ‘third’ part, above bass and alto.
\ \ Cf.FOLD, PLY, THREE, TRIPLE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Treble — Treble, a doublet of triple or threefold (from Latin triplus , triple ; cf. double from duplus ), is used in several contexts:Music: *As a term applied in music to the high or acute part of the musical system; see clef. **A treble cut filter, or… …   Wikipedia

  • Treble — Tre ble, a. [OE. treble threefold, OF. treble, treible, L. triplus. See {Triple}.] 1. Threefold; triple. [1913 Webster] A lofty tower, and strong on every side With treble walls. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) (a) Acute; sharp; as, a treble… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • treble — Ⅰ. treble [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) consisting of three parts. 2) multiplied or occurring three times. ► PREDETERMINER ▪ three times as much or as many. ► NOUN 1) Brit. three sporting victories or championships in the same s …   English terms dictionary

  • Treble — Tre ble, n. [ It has been said to be a corruption of triplum [Lat.], a third part, superadded to the altus and bassus (high and low). Grove.] (Mus.) The highest of the four principal parts in music; the part usually sung by boys or women; soprano …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • treble — treb‧le [ˈtrebl] verb [intransitive, transitive] to become three times as big in amount; = TRIPLE: • Net income more than trebled, to £5.7 million. • A federal jury awarded $2 million in damages, to be trebled under antitrust law. * * * treble… …   Financial and business terms

  • Treble — Tre ble, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Trebled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Trebling}.] 1. To make thrice as much; to make threefold. Love trebled life. Tennyson. [1913 Webster] 2. To utter in a treble key; to whine. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] He outrageously (When I… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Treble — (engl. für verdreifachen, dreifach, auch Sopran oder Stäbchen beim Häkeln) steht für: eine niederländische Popband, siehe Treble (Band) in der Tontechnik für den Höhenregler (zum Beispiel an einer Stereoanlage) in der Musik für den Sopran 28px… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Treble — Treble, fue un grupo de música holandés formado por Caroline Hoffman (nacida el 17 de noviembre de 1975), y las hermanas Niña van Dijk (n. 26 de mayo de 1985) y Djem van Dijk (n. 2 de julio de 1987). Conocido por su participación en el Festival… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Treble — Tre ble, adv. Trebly; triply. [Obs.] J. Fletcher. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Treble — Tre ble, v. i. To become threefold. Swift. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • treble — adj. Triple. v. To triple; to multiply by three. The Essential Law Dictionary. Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008 …   Law dictionary

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