A little boy comes home with his mother from a trip down town. Above his head he has a big bunch of balloons.
- Why do you need so many? - Asks his father. - Did not your mother and I teach you that you should save your money?
- I did not spend any! Its just that every time Mummy bought something the salesperson gave me a free balloon.
- (also triad) chinese secret society, usu. Criminal. triadic adj. [latin from greek]
TRIAL
and error n. Repeated (usu. Unsystematic) attempts continued until successful.
- n. - judicial examination and determination of issues between parties by a judge with or without a jury.
- test (will give you a trial).
- trying thing or person (trials of old age).
- match held to select players for a team.
- (often in pl.) Contest involving performance by horses, dogs, motor cycles, etc. on trial 1 being tried in a court of law.
- being tested; to be chosen or retained only if suitable. [anglo-french: related to *try]
- run n. Preliminary operational test.
TRIBE
n. - group of (esp. Primitive) families or communities, linked by social, religious, or blood ties, and usu. Having a common culture and dialect and a recognized leader.
- any similar natural or political division.
- usu. Derog. Set or number of persons, esp. Of one profession etc. Or family. tribal adj. Tribalism n. [latin tribus]
TRICE
n. in a trice in an instant. [trice haul up, from low german and dutch]
TRICK
—n. - action or scheme undertaken to deceive or outwit.
- illusion (trick of the light).
- special technique; knack.
- a feat of skill or dexterity. B unusual action (e.g. Begging) learned by an animal.
- foolish or discreditable act; practical joke (a mean trick to play).
- idiosyncracy (has a trick of repeating himself).
- a cards played in one round of a card-game. B point gained in this.
- (attrib.) Done to deceive or mystify (trick photography; trick question). —v. - deceive by a trick; outwit.
- (often foll. By out of) swindle (tricked out of his savings).
- (foll. By into) cause to do something by trickery (tricked into marriage; tricked me into agreeing).
- foil, baffle; take by surprise. do the trick colloq. Achieve the required result. How's tricks? Colloq. How are you? Trick or treat esp. Us children's custom of calling at houses at hallowe'en with the threat of pranks if they are not given a small gift. Trick out (or up) dress or deck out. [french]
TRIED
past and past part. Of *try.
TRIER
n. - person who perseveres.
- tester, esp. Of foodstuffs.
TRIKE
n. Colloq. Tricycle. [abbreviation]
TRILL
—n. - quavering sound, esp. A rapid alternation of sung or played notes.
- bird's warbling.
- pronunciation of r with vibration of the tongue. —v. - produce a trill.
- warble (a song) or pronounce (r etc.) With a trill. [italian]
TRIPE
n. - first or second stomach of a ruminant, esp. An ox, as food.
