A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

tremblor --- earthquake, 1913, alt. of temblor, by infl. of trembler.

tremendous --- 1632, "awful, dreadful, terrible," from L. tremendus "fearful, terrible," lit. "to be trembled at," gerundive form of tremere "to tremble" (see tremble). Hyperbolic or intensive sense of "extraordinarily great or good, immense" is attested from 1812, paralleling semantic changes in terrific, terribly, awfully, etc.

tremolo --- 1801, from It. tremolo, from L. tremulus "trembling" (see tremulous).

tremor --- c.1374, "terror," from O.Fr. tremor "fear, terror" (13c.), from L. tremorem (nom. tremor) "a trembling, terror," from tremere (see tremble). Sense of "an involuntary shaking" first recorded 1615 and probably represents a re-introduction from Latin.

tremulous --- 1611, from L. tremulus "shaking, quivering," from tremere (see tremble).

trench --- c.1386, "track cut through a wood," later "long, narrow ditch" (1489), from O.Fr. trenche "a slice, ditch" (1288), from trenchier "to cut," possibly from V.L. *trincare, from L. truncare "to cut or lop off" (see truncate). Trenches for military protection are first so called c.1500. Trench warfare first attested 1918. Trench-coat first recorded 1916, a type of coat worn by British officers in the trenches.

trenchant --- c.1330, "cutting, sharp," from O.Fr. trenchant "cutting, sharp," prp. of trenchier "to cut" (see trench). Figurative sense is recorded from 1603.

trencher --- c.1308, "wooden platter on which to cut meat," from Anglo-Fr. trenchour, from O.N.Fr. trencheor "a trencher," lit. "a cutting place," from O.Fr. trenchier "to cut" (see trench).

trend (v.) --- 1598, "to run or bend in a certain direction" (of rivers, coasts, etc.), from M.E. trenden "to roll about, turn, revolve," from O.E. trendan, from P.Gmc. *trandijanan (cf. O.E. trinde "round lump, ball," O.Fris. trind, M.L.G. trint "round," M.L.G. trent "ring, boundary," Du. trent "circumference," Dan. trind "round"); origin and connections outside Gmc. uncertain. Sense of "have a general tendency" (used of events, opinions, etc.) is first recorded 1863, from the nautical sense. The noun meaning "the way something bends" (coastline, mountain range, etc.) is recorded from 1777; sense of "general tendency" is from 1884. Trend-setter first attested 1960; trendy is from 1962.

trepan (v.) --- c.1400, from Fr. trépaner (14c.), from M.L. trepanum "a saw for cutting out small pieces of bone from the skull," from Gk. trypanon, from trypan "to bore," related to trype "hole" (cf. O.C.S. truplu "hollow"), from PIE base *tere- "to rub, turn."

trepidation --- 1605, from L. trepidationem (nom. trepidatio) "agitation, alarm, trembling," noun of action from pp. stem of trepidare "to tremble, hurry," from trepidus "alarmed, scared," from PIE *trep- "to shake, tremble" (cf. Skt. trprah "hasty," O.C.S. trepetati "to tremble"), related to *trem- (see tremble).

tres --- very, 1815, from Fr. très, from O.Fr. tres, from L. trans "beyond." For use of trans in the sense of "very," cf. O.It. trafreddo "very cold."

trespass (v.) --- 1303, "transgress, offend, sin," from O.Fr. trespasser "pass beyond or across," from tres- "beyond" (from L. trans-) + passer "go by, pass" (see pass (v.)). Meaning "enter unlawfully" is first attested in forest laws of Scottish Parliament (c.1455). The noun is recorded from c.1290. The modern descendant of O.Fr. trespasser, Fr. trépasser has come to be used euphemistically for "to die" (cf. cross over, and obituary).

tress --- c.1290, "long lock of hair," from O.Fr. tresse "a plait or braid of hair" (12c.), perhaps from V.L. *trichia "braid, rope," from Gk. trikhia "rope," from thrix (gen. trikhos) "hair."

trestle --- c.1330, "a support for something," from O.Fr. trestel "crossbeam" (12c.), presumed to be an alteration of L. *transtellum, dim. of transtrum "beam, crossbar." Specific meaning "support for a bridge" is recorded from 1796.

trey --- c.1386, "card, die, or domino with three spots," from O.Fr. treis, oblique case of treie "three," from L. tria (neut.) "three" (see three).

tri- --- comb. form meaning "three," from L. tres (neut. tria) or Gk. treis (neut. tria) "three" (see three).

triad --- 1546, "group or set of three," from L.L. trias (gen. triadis), from Gk. trias (gen. triados), from treis "three" (see three). Musical sense of "chord of three notes" is from 1801.

triage --- 1727, "action of assorting according to quality," from Fr. triage "a picking out, sorting," from O.Fr. trier "to pick, cull" (see try). There seems to be some influence from or convergence with L. tria "three" (e.g. triage for "coffee beans of the third or lowest quality"). In World War I, adopted for the sorting of wounded soldiers into three groups according to the severity of their injuries.

trial --- 1436, "act or process of testing," from Anglo-Fr. trial, noun formed from triet "to try" (see try). Sense of "examining and deciding a case in a court of law" is first recorded 1577; extended to any ordeal by 1595.

triangle --- 1398, from O.Fr. triangle (13c.), from L. triangulum "triangle," from neut. of adj. triangulus "three-cornered," from tri- "three" + angulus "corner, angle." Triangulation is recorded from 1818.

Triassic --- 1841, from Ger., coined 1841 by Ger. geologist Friedrich August von Alberti (1795-1878), from Gk. trias "triad," because it is divisible (in Germany) into three groups.

triathlon --- 1973, from Gk. tri- "three" + athlon "contest;" formed on model of decathlon, etc.

tribe --- c.1250, "one of the twelve divisions of the ancient Hebrews," from O.Fr. tribu, from L. tribus "one of the three political/ethnic divisions of the original Roman state" (Tites, Ramnes, and Luceres, corresponding, perhaps, to the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans), later, one of the 30 political divisions instituted by Servius Tullius (increased to 35 in 241 B.C.E.), perhaps from tri- "three" + *bhu-, root of the verb be. Others connect the word with the root of Welsh tref "town, inhabited place." In the Biblical sense, which was the original one in Eng., the L. word translates Gk. phyle "race or tribe of men, body of men united by ties of blood and descent, a clan" (see physic). Extension to any ethnic group or race of people is first recorded 1596. Tribal "characterized by strong group loyalty" is recorded from 1951.

TriBeCa --- 1983, area in Manhattan between Broadway and the Hudson, south of Greenwich Village, from "triangle below Canal (Street)."

tribology --- 1965, "study of friction," from Gk. tribos "rubbing," from tribein "to rub" (from PIE base *ter- "to rub, turn, twist;" see throw) + -ology.

tribulation --- c.1225, from O.Fr. tribulacion (12c.), from L.L. tribulationem (nom. tribulatio) "distress, trouble, affliction" (c.200), from tribulatus, pp. of tribulare "to oppress, afflict," a figurative use by Christian writers of L. tribulare "to press," also possibly "to thresh out grain," from tribulum "threshing sledge," from stem of terere "to rub" (see throw) + -bulum, suffix forming names of tools.

tribunal --- 1447, from O.Fr. tribunal (13c.), from L. tribunal "platform for the seat of magistrates, elevation, embankment," from tribunus "official in ancient Rome, magistrate," lit. "head of a tribe," from tribus (see tribe). Hence, a court of justice or judicial assembly (1590).

tribune --- c.1375, "official in ancient Rome," from L. tribunus "magistrate" (specifically one of the officers appointed to protect the rights and interests of the plebeians from the patricians), originally "head of a tribe," from tribus (see tribe). The meaning "raised platform" is 1762, from It., from L. tribunal "platform for the seats of magistrates in ancient Rome."

tributary (adj.) --- 1382, "paying tribute," from L. tributarius "liable to tax or tribute," from tributum (see tribute). The noun sense of "one who pays tribute" is recorded from 1432. Meaning "stream that flows into a larger body" is from 1822, from the adj., which is recorded from 1611 in this sense.

tribute --- c.1340, "tax paid to a ruler or master for security or protection," from L. tributum "tribute," lit. "a thing contributed or paid," noun use of tributus, neuter pp. of tribuere "to pay, assign, grant," also "allot among the tribes or to a tribe," from tribus (see tribe). Sense of "offering, gift, token" is first recorded 1585.

trice --- c.1373, "haul up and fasten with a rope" (v.), from M.Du. trisen "hoist," from trise "pulley," of unknown origin. Hence at a tryse (1440) "in a very short time," lit. "at a single pluck or pull." The M.Du. word is the source of Du. trijsen "to hoist," and cognate with M.L.G. trissen (source of Dan. trisse, Ger. triezen); its ultimate origin is unknown.

triceps --- the great extensor muscle, 1704, from L. triceps "three-headed," from tri- "three" + -ceps, from caput "head" (see head). So called because the muscle has three origins.

triceratops --- dinosaur genus, 1892, from Gk. trikeratos "three-horned" + ops "face." The first element is from tri- "three" + keras (gen. keratos) "horn."

trichinosis --- disease caused by trichinae, 1866, coined by Bernhard Rupprecht (1815-77) from trichina (1835), from Mod.L., genus name of certain minute parasitic worms, from Gk. trikhine, fem. of trikhinos "of or like hair," from thrix (gen. trikhos) "hair."

trick (n.) --- c.1412, "a cheat, a mean ruse," from O.N.Fr. trique "trick, deceit, treachery, cheating," from trikier "to deceive, to cheat," variant of O.Fr. trichier, probably from V.L. *triccare, from L. tricari "be evasive, shuffle," from tricæ "trifles, nonsense, a tangle of difficulties," of unknown origin. Meaning "a roguish prank" is recorded from 1590; sense of "the art of doing something" is first attested 1611. The verb is first attested 1595. An earlier sense of "to dress, adorn" (c.1500) is perhaps a different word entirely. Meaning "prostitute's client" is first attested 1915; earlier it was U.S. slang for "a robbery" (1865). Trickery is first attested 1800; tricky is 1786 (earlier tricksy, 1596); trickster is from 1711. Trick-or-treat is recorded from 1947.

trickle (v.) --- c.1375, possibly an aphetic variant of stricklen "to trickle," a frequentative form of striken "to flow, move" (see strike). The noun is 1580, from the verb. Trickle-down as an adjectival phrase in an economic sense first recorded 1944; the image had been in use at least since Teddy Roosevelt.

tricolor --- 1798, "flag having three colors," especially the emblem of France adopted during the Revolution, from Fr. tricolore, in drapeau tricolore "three-colored flag." The arrangement of colors on the Fr. flag dates from 1794.

tricot --- 1859, from Fr. tricot "knitting, knitted work," from tricoter "to knit," probably a variant of O.Fr. estriquer "to smooth," from a Gmc. source (e.g. M.L.G. striken "pass over lightly").

tricycle --- 1828, "three-wheeled horse-drawn carriage," from Fr. tricycle (1827), from tri- + cycle. The pedal-powered version is first attested 1868. Short form trike (on the model of bike) is attested from 1883.

trident --- c.1450, from L. tridentem (nom. tridens; gen. tridentis) "three-pronged, three-toothed," from tri- "three" + dens (gen. dentis) "tooth" (see tooth). As a type of U.S. nuclear-powered submarine, recorded from 1972.

triennial --- 1640, "lasting three years;" 1642 in the sense of "occurring every three years," from L. triennium "three-year period," from tri- "three" + annus "year" (see annual).

trifid --- divided into three lobes, 1628, from L. trifidus "cleft in three," from tri- "three" + root of findere "to cleave." This adj. probably inspired triffid, the name of the three-legged walking poisonous plants in John Wyndham's novel "The Day of the Triffids" (1951).

trifle --- c.1225, trufle "false or idle tale," later "matter of little importance" (c.1290), from O.Fr. trufle "mockery," dim. of truffe "deception," of uncertain origin. The verb, in the sense of "treat lightly," is first attested 1523.

trig --- smart, trim, c.1200, from O.N. tryggr "firm, trusty, true" (see true). A Scottish and northern word only until 19c.

trigger (n.) --- 1660, earlier tricker (1621), from Du. trekker "trigger," from trekken "to pull" (see trek). Tricker was the usual form in Eng. until c.1750. The verb is first recorded 1930, from the noun. Trigger-happy is attested from 1943.

trigonometry --- branch of mathematics that deals with relations between sides and angles of triangles, 1614, from Mod.L. trigonometria (Barthelemi Pitiscus, 1595), from Gk. trigonon "triangle" (from tri- "three" + gonia "angle;" see knee) + metron "a measure" (see meter (2)).

trilby --- type of hat, 1897, in allusion to Trilby O'Ferrall, eponymous heroine of the novel by George du Maurier (1834-96), published in 1894. In the stage version of the novel, the character wore this type of soft felt hat. In plural, also slang for "feet" (1895), in allusion to the eroticism attached to the heroine's bare feet.

trill (n.) --- 1649, from It. trillio, triglio "a quavering or warbling in singing," probably of imitative origin. The verb is 1666, from It. trillare "to quaver, trill."

trillion --- 1690, from Fr. trillion (c.1484), from tri- + (m)illion. Cf. billion. In the U.S., the fourth power of a thousand (one thousand billion, 1 followed by 12 zeroes); in Great Britain, the third power of a million (one million billion, 1 followed by 18 zeroes), which is the original sense.

trilobite --- extinct marine arthropod, 1832, from Mod.L. Trilobites (Walch, 1771), from Gk. tri- "three" + lobos "lobe," so called because its body is divided into three lobes.

trilogy --- 1661, "any series of three related works," from Gk. trilogia "series of three related tragedies performed at Athens at the festival of Dionysus," from tri- "three" + logos "story."

trim (n.) --- state of being prepared, 1590, nautical jargon, from trim (v.). The meaning "visible woodwork of a house" is recorded from 1884; sense of "ornamental additions to an automobile" is from 1922. Slang meaning "a woman regarded as a sex object" is attested from 1955, Amer.Eng.

trim (v.) --- probably from O.E. trymman "strengthen, make ready," from trum "strong, stable," from P.Gmc. *trumaz; said to be cognate with Skt. drumah "tree," Gk. drymos "copse, thicket," drys "tree, oak," and O.E. treow (see tree). Examples in M.E. are wanting. Original sense is preserved in nautical phrase in fighting trim (see trim (n.)). Meaning "make neat by cutting" is first recorded 1530; that of "decorate, adorn" is from 1547. Sense of "reduce" is attested from 1966. The adj. sense of "in good condition, neat, fit" is attested from 1503, probably ult. from O.E. adj. trum.

trimester --- 1821, "period of three months," from Fr. trimestre (1611), from L. trimestris "of three months," from tri- "three" + mensis "month" (see moon (n.)). Specific obstetrics sense is attested from 1916.

trimeter --- a verse of three metrical feet, 1567, from L. trimetrus, from Gk. trimetros "having three measures," from tri- "three" + metron "a measure" (see meter (2)).

trimmer --- one who changes opinions, actions, etc. to suit circumstances, 1682, from trim (v.) in a nautical sense of "distribute the load of a ship so she floats on an even keel" (1580), hence, "to adjust the balance of sails or yards with reference to the wind's direction" (1624).

trimmings --- adornments, accessories, etc., 1612, from trim (v.).

trinity --- c.1225, "the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," constituting one God in prevailing Christian doctrine, from O.Fr. trinite (11c.), from L. trinitatem (nom. trinitas) "Trinity, triad" (Tertullian), from trinus "threefold, triple," from pl. of trini "three at a time, threefold," related to tres (neut. tria) "three." The L. word was widely borrowed in European languages with the rise of Christianity (e.g. Ir. trionnoid, Welsh trindod, Ger. trinität).

trinket --- 1533, of unknown origin. Evidently a dim. form, perhaps related to trick.

trio --- 1724, from Fr. trio (c.1600), from It. trio, from tri- "three;" patterned on duo.

trip (n.) --- act or action of tripping, 1660, from trip (v.); sense of "a short journey or voyage" is from 1691, originally a nautical term, the connection is uncertain. The meaning "psychedelic drug experience" is first recorded 1959 as a noun; the verb in this sense is from 1966, from the noun.

trip (v.) --- c.1380 (implied in tripper), "tread or step lightly, skip, caper," from O.Fr. tripper "strike with the feet" (12c.), from a Gmc. source (cf. M.Du. trippen "to skip, trip, hop," Low Ger. trippeln, Fris. tripje, Du. trappen, O.E. treppan "to tread, trample") related to trap. The sense of "strike with the foot and cause to stumble" is first recorded c.1425. Meaning "to release" (a catch, lever, etc.) is recorded from 1897; trip-wire is attested from 1916.

tripartite --- c.1420, "divided in three," from L. tripartitus "divided into three parts," from tri- "three" + partitus, pp. of partiri "to divide" (see part (v.)).

tripe --- c.1300, from O.Fr. tripe "entrails used as food" (13c.), of unknown origin, perhaps via Sp. tripa from Arabic therb "suet" (but also said to mean "fold of a piece of cloth"). Applied contemptuously to persons (1595), then to anything considered worthless, foolish, or offensive (1892).

triple (v.) --- 1375, from M.L. triplare "to triple," from L. triplus "threefold, triple," from tri- "three" + -plus "-fold." The noun is recorded from c.1428; the baseball sense is attested from 1880. The adj. is recorded from 1550.

triplet --- 1656, "three successive lines of poetry," from triple; perhaps patterned on doublet. Extended to a set of three of anything in 1733, and to three children at the same birth in 1787 (another word for this was trin, 1831, on the model of twin). Musical meaning "three notes played in the time of two" is from 1801.

triplicate (adj.) --- 1432, "triple, threefold," from L. triplicatus, pp. of triplicare "to triple," from tri- "three" + plicare "to fold" see ply (v.)). The verb meaning "to multiply by three" is recorded from 1623.

tripod --- 1603, "three-legged vessel," from L. tripus (gen. tripodis), from Gk. tripous (gen. tripodos) "a three-legged stool or table," lit. "three-footed," from tri- "three" + pous (gen. podos) "foot" (see foot).

Tripoli --- both the Libyan capital and the Lebanese port city represent Gk. tri- "three" + polis "town." In Libya, Tripolis was the name of a Phoenician colony consisting of Oea (which grew into modern Tripoli), Leptis Magna, and Sabratha. Arabic distinguishes them as Tarabulus ash-sham ("Syrian Tripoli") and Tarabulus al-garb ("Western Tripoli").

triptych --- 1731, "hinged, three-leaved writing tablet used in ancient Greece and Rome," from Gk. triptykhos "three-layered," from tri- "three" + ptykhos, gen. of ptyx "fold, layer." In ref. to three-part altar-piece carvings or pictures hinged together, it is attested from 1849.

trireme --- 1601, "ancient ship with three rows of oars," from L. triremis, from tri- "three" + remus "oar."

Triscuit --- proprietary name for a type of cracker, 1906, curiously from tri- + biscuit.

trisect --- 1664 (implied in trisection), from tri- "three" + L. sectus "cut," pp. of secare "to cut" (see section). Probably patterned on bisect.

triskaidekaphobia --- fear of the number 13, 1911, from Gk. treiskaideka "thirteen" + -phobia "fear."

triskelion --- figure consisting of three branchess radiating from a center, 1880, earlier triskelos (1857), from Gk. triskeles "three-legged," from tri- "three" + skelos "leg" (see scalene).

Tristram --- masc. proper name, name of a medieval hero, from Welsh Drystan, infl. by Fr. triste "sad."

trite --- 1548, from L. tritus "worn, familiar," from pp. of terere "to rub, wear down" (see throw).

triticale --- hybrid cereal grass, 1952, from Mod.L. Triti(cum) "wheat" (lit. "grain for threshing," from tritus, pp. of terrere "to rub, thresh, grind") + (Se)cale "rye."

Triton --- minor sea god, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, from Gk. Triton, cognate with O.Ir. triath (gen. trethan) "sea."

triumph (n.) --- c.1374, from O.Fr. triumphe (12c.), from L. triumphus "achievement, a success, procession for a victorious general or admiral," earlier triumpus, probably via Etruscan from Gk. thriambos "hymn to Dionysus," a loan-word from a pre-Hellenic language. Sense of "victory, conquest" is c.1400. The verb is first recorded 1483.

triumvir --- one of three men in the same office or of the same authority, 1579, from L. triumvir, from Old L. phrase trium virum, genitive plural of tres viri "three men," from tres "three" + viri, plural of vir "man" (see virile). Triumvirate is from 1584.

trivet --- three-legged iron stand, 12c., trefet, probably from L. tripedem (nom. tripes) "three-footed," from tri- "three" + pes "foot" (see foot).

trivia --- trivialities, things of little consequence, 1902, popularized as title of a book by L.P. Smith, from L. trivia, pl. of trivium "place where three roads meet" (see trivial).

trivial --- 1432, "of the trivium," from M.L. trivialis, from trivium "first three of the seven liberal arts," from L., lit. "place where three roads meet," from tri- "three" + via "road." The basic notion is of "that which may be found anywhere, commonplace, vulgar." The meaning "ordinary" (1589) and "insignificant" (1593) were in L. trivialis "commonplace, vulgar," originally "of or belonging to the crossroads." The verb trivialize is attested from 1846.

trivium --- 1804, from M.L., "grammar, rhetoric, and logic," first three of the seven liberal arts in the Middle Ages, considered less important than arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. From L. trivium "place where three roads meet" (see trivial).

-trix --- fem. agential suffix, from L., corresponding to masc. -tor.

trochee --- 1589, from Fr. trochée, from L. trochaeus "a trochee," from Gk. trokhaios (pous), lit. "a running, spinning (foot)," from trekhein "to run." As a metrical foot, a long followed by a short syllable, or an accented followed by an unaccented one.

trodden --- that has been stepped on, 1545, from pp. of tread. The pp. was alt. from M.E. treden under infl. of M.E. pps. such as stolen from steal.

troglodyte --- cave-dweller, 1555, from L. troglodytae (plural), from Gk. troglodytes "cave-dweller," lit. "one who creeps into holes," from trogle "hole" (from trogein "to gnaw;" see trout) + dyein "go in, dive in." Slang shortening trog "obnoxious person, boor" is recorded from 1956.

troika --- 1842, "carriage drawn by three horses abreast," from Rus. troika "three-horse team, any group of three," from collective numeral troe "three" + dim. suffix -ka. Sense of "any group of three administrators, triumvirate" is first recorded 1945.

Trojan --- O.E. Troian "of or pertaining to ancient Troy," from L. Trojanus, from Troia, Troja "Troy," from Gk. Tros, name of a king of Phrygia, the mythical founder of Troy. In 17c., it was a colloquial term for "person of dissolute life, carousing companion." The trade name for a brand of prophylactic contraceptive was registered 1927 in U.S. Trojan horse is attested from 1574; the computer virus sense is attested by 1982.

troll (n.) --- ugly dwarf or giant, 1616, from O.N. troll "giant, fiend, demon." Some speculate that it originally meant "creature that walks clumsily," and derives from P.Gmc. *truzlan, from *truzlanan (see troll (v.)). But it seems to have been a general supernatural word, cf. Swed. trolla "to charm, bewitch;" O.N. trolldomr "witchcraft." The old sagas tell of the troll-bull, a supernatural being in the form of a bull, as well as boar-trolls. There were troll-maidens, troll-wives, and troll-women; the trollman, a magician or wizard, and the troll-drum, used in Lappish magic rites. The word was popularized in Eng. by 19c. antiquarians, but it has been current in the Shetlands and Orkneys since Viking times. The first record of it is from a court document from the Shetlands, regarding a certain Catherine, who, among other things, was accused of "airt and pairt of witchcraft and sorcerie, in hanting and seeing the Trollis ryse out of the kyrk yeard of Hildiswick." Originally conceived as a race of giants, they have suffered the same fate as the Celtic Danann and are now regarded in Denmark and Sweden as dwarfs and imps supposed to live in caves or under the ground.