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. 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.
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. (Mus.) The third tone of the scale. See Mediant.
4. A sequence of
three playing cards of the same suit. Tierce of ace, king,
queen, is called tierce-major.
5. (Fencing) A position in
thrusting or parrying in which the
wrist and nails are turned downward.
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.
Hear it pronounced