TIERCE

tierce. Tierce, n. a third part of a pipe, sequence of three cards, hour, thrust in fencing

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Tierce (?), n. [[F. tierce a third, from tiers, tierce, third, fr. L. tertius the third; akin to tres three. See Third, Three, and cf. Terce, Tercet, Tertiary.]] 1. 1. A cask whose content is one third of a pipe; that is, forty-two wine gallons; also, a liquid measure of forty-two wine, or thirty-five imperial, gallons.
2. 2. A cask larger than a barrel, and smaller than a hogshead or a puncheon, in which salt provisions, rice, etc., are packed for shipment.
3. 3. (Mus.) The third tone of the scale. See Mediant.
4. 4. A sequence of three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce of ace, king, queen, is called tierce-major.
5. 5. (Fencing) A position in thrusting or parrying in which the wrist and nails are turned downward.
6. 6. (R. C. Ch.) The third hour of the day, or nine a. m,; one of the canonical hours; also, the service appointed for that hour.