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Tierce vs Pierce - What's the difference?

tierce | pierce |

As a noun tierce

is 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.

As an adjective tiercé

is divided into three equal parts of three different tinctures; said of an escutcheon.

As a verb pierce is

to puncture; to break through.

As a proper noun Pierce is

a given name derived from Ancient Greek, medieval variant of Piers. Modern usage may also derive from the surname.

tierce

English

(wikipedia tierce)

Noun

(en noun)
  • 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.
  • * 1851 ,
  • Have an eye to the molasses tierce , Mr. Stubb; it was a little leaky, I thought.
  • * 1882 , James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England , p. 205:
  • Again, by 28 Hen. VIII, cap. 14, it is re-enacted that the tun of wine should contain 252 gallons, a butt of Malmsey 126 gallons, a pipe 126 gallons, a tercian or puncheon 84 gallons, a hogshead 63 gallons, a tierce 41 gallons, a barrel 31.5 gallons, a rundlet 18.5 gallons.
  • A cask larger than a barrel, and smaller than a hogshead or a puncheon, in which salt provisions, rice, etc., are packed for shipment.
  • (music) The third tone of the scale. See mediant.
  • (card games) A sequence of three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce of ace, king and queen is called tierce-major.
  • (fencing) The third defensive position, with the sword hand held at waist height, and the tip of the sword at head height.
  • (heraldiccharge) An ordinary that covers the left or right third of the field of a shield or flag.
  • (religion, Roman Catholic) The third hour of the day, or nine a. m,; one of the canonical hours; also, the service appointed for that hour.
  • (obsolete) One sixtieth of a second, i.e., the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system. (Also known as a third.)
  • Anagrams

    * ----

    pierce

    English

    Verb

  • to puncture; to break through
  • The diver pierced the surface of the water with scarcely a splash.
    to pierce''' the enemy's line; a shot '''pierced the ship
  • * Dryden
  • I pierce her tender side.
  • to create a hole in the skin for the purpose of inserting jewelry
  • Can you believe he pierced his tongue?
  • to break or interrupt abruptly
  • A scream pierced the darkness.
  • (figurative) To penetrate; to affect deeply.
  • to pierce a mystery
  • * Alexander Pope
  • pierced with grief
  • * Shakespeare
  • Can no prayers pierce thee?

    Derived terms

    * piercing

    Descendants

    * Japanese:

    Anagrams

    *