# thrice



## Henrik Larsson

Hi, I thought that "thrice" was rare and archaic but I've come across it several times, even in a song. I'd like to know whether it's common or not.

<<The question about thrice has been asked thrice.
Such a magical opportunity has provoked me to merge the threads, in a trice, into one.
The first thread starts here.
The second thread starts at #14
The third thread starts at #27

I found these threads by looking up thrice in the WordReference dictionary.
At the end of the listing, it gives all of the WR threads that include the key word in their title.
This is a very easy, and immensely useful way to find previous threads. 
Unfortunately it seems to be a secret 
Panjandrum
(Moderator)>>


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## French_cdn_gurl

I guess it just depends on where you are in the world. I hear many people use those words and I live in Canada. I guess it changes depending on where your situated in the world.


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## Diablo919

First, second, thrice?

Also, there is a band named Thrice.


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## French_cdn_gurl

Really? I never heard of that band before...It's not First, Second, Thrice but rather...once, twice, thrice....so on and so forth....


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## HistofEng

yeah...it's 

once
twice
*thrice*


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## Moogey

Thrice = "three times".

Also, archaically it means "extremely or greatly".

Just so you know, even though this word exists in the dictionary, it is so seldom used in my corner of the universe that if you said it people would probably think that you just used a non-existant word.

I would say "three times"

I.e. - instead of "I've been there thrice" I'd say "I've been there three times"

To the archaic definition "Thou hath smote me to the thrice degree"? Hehe, sounds funny  (You'd never hear this sentence nowadays, "thou," "hath," and seldom "smote" )

-M


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## Isotta

I hear it quite often, but usually in a silly cheeky, mock-archaic or quirky manner. I've even known people to roll the "r" for comedic effect. People use it less often in earnest.

Z.


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## Brioche

Moogey said:
			
		

> Thrice = "three times".
> 
> Also, archaically it means "extremely or greatly".
> 
> Just so you know, even though this word exists in the dictionary, it is so seldom used in my corner of the universe that if you said it people would probably think that you just used a non-existant word.
> 
> I would say "three times"
> 
> I.e. - instead of "I've been there thrice" I'd say "I've been there three times"
> 
> To the archaic definition "Thou hath  smote me to the thrice  degree"? Hehe, sounds funny  (You'd never hear this sentence nowadays, "thou," "hath," and seldom "smote" )
> 
> -M


 
Thou *hast* smote me thrice _or_ to the third degree.
_Thrice is an adverb._
*-st* endings go with _thou_

He/She *hath* smote me thrice.
*-th* endings go with the third person singular.

Shakespeare was inconsistent, and sometimes used -th and sometimes -s
_The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppe*th* as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;_ (not thrice!)
_It blesse*th* him that give*s* and him that take*s*:
_
"in a thrice" = "in an instant"


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## thrice

funny you should ask... =)


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## VenusEnvy

thrice said:
			
		

> funny you should ask... =)


I understand that your nic here is "thrice", but does this post really contribute to our knowledge on the word "thrice"?.....   

Why don't you tell us what you know about the word, and how common it is?...


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## Moogey

Brioche said:
			
		

> Thou *hast* smote me thrice _or_ to the third degree.
> _Thrice is an adverb._
> *-st* endings go with _thou_
> 
> He/She *hath* smote me thrice.
> *-th* endings go with the third person singular.
> 
> Shakespeare was inconsistent, and sometimes used -th and sometimes -s
> _The quality of mercy is not strain'd,_
> _It droppe*th* as the gentle rain from heaven_
> _Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;_ (not thrice!)
> _It blesse*th* him that give*s* and him that take*s*:_
> 
> "in a thrice" = "in an instant"


 
Aha, thanks. Unfortunately, I don't know old English so well. I would really like to, though, and learn all the irregular verbs of old English (such as "to have" as you can see hast/hath and "to be" as "thou art" etc..) There has to be a website somewhere. I would actually speak this way. I like it, and I'd like to see the looks on people's faces as well 

-M


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## BasedowLives

Diablo919 said:
			
		

> First, second, thrice?
> 
> Also, there is a band named Thrice.



yes, an awesome band at that...


i use it in humurous situations.


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## thrice

VenusEnvy said:
			
		

> I understand that your nic here is "thrice", but does this post really contribute to our knowledge on the word "thrice"?.....
> 
> Why don't you tell us what you know about the word, and how common it is?...


 

Fair enough  . In my experience, it's a very uncommon word. In fact, I would think that many (native english speaking) people may never have even heard of it. I can't think of any time where I've heard it spoken in normal conversation other than jokingly or in reference to the band 'Thrice'. The most common use of the word, I think, is in the phrase "...not once, not twice, but thrice", which can be a way of emphasizing the absurdity of something occurring three times instead of the slightly less ludicrous twice or the preferred once.


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## emma1968

Hi There,


I just found the word "thrice". Since I never thought that it could exist, I was just  wondering if it is in the common use.

Thanks in advance


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## Kelly B

It does exist, and means three times, but the Americans I know don't use it at all in speech, nor very often in writing.


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## emma1968

Kelly B said:
			
		

> It does exist, and means three times, but the Americans I know don't use it at all in speech, nor very often in writing.



Indeed, I understood the meaning by the context . It was written behind "twice"
Thank you


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## Sallyb36

not really in common use in England either, we would say "three times" rather than "thrice".


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## river

_Thrice_ ('three times'), which is "old use," seems to be disappearing from Modern English according to _The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English_.


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## petereid

It's still in use, I sometimes use it with my wrinkly friends, "Another B***** conversion missed, that's thrice!"
I just tried it on my son 27, he knows what it means but doesn't use it. "Nobody would know what I was talking about"


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## languageGuy

I recall the song lyrics: "You're once, twice, three times a lady..."
"You're once, twice, thrice a lady..." just doesn't sound right.


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## Sallyb36

aahhh, i remember that song languageGuy.  Was it The Commodores?


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## petereid

"You're once, twice, thrice a lady..." just doesn't sound right. 
it doesn't even scan

"You're twice, thrice, four times a lady..."  does
But were off topic


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## jdenson

emma1968 said:
			
		

> Hi There,
> 
> 
> I just found the word "thrice". Since I never thought that it could exist, I was just  wondering if it is in the common use.
> 
> Thanks in advance


 Hi Emma1968,
_Thrice_, while not a common word, is understood by any educated English speaker. In addition to meaning _three times_, it is used in the set phrase _in a thrice_, which means _instantly_.
JD


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## panjandrum

jdenson said:
			
		

> Hi Emma1968,
> _Thrice_, while not a common word, is understood by any educated English speaker. In addition to meaning _three times_, _*it is used in the set phrase in a thrice,*_ which means _instantly_.
> JD


Oh not it's not.
That phrase is _*in a trice*_, a different thing altogether

In/ at a trice is _lit._ at a single pluck or pull; hence, in an instant; instantly, forthwith; without delay. _Obs._ 
_Source OED_


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## Yôn

I use "thrice" all the time.  I can't actually remember the last time I've used "three times."  Well, aside from just there .

I just wish there were versions of these words for "four times, five times, six times, etc."  

"Okay folks, that's not enough pizza... I think we'd need thrice as many."

Of course, people always think I'm strange for most of the things I say.




Jon


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## jdenson

panjandrum said:
			
		

> Oh not it's not.
> That phrase is _*in a trice*_, a different thing altogether
> 
> In/ at a trice is _lit._ at a single pluck or pull; hence, in an instant; instantly, forthwith; without delay. _Obs._
> _Source OED_


 Hi Panjandrum,
All my life I've heard (and said) "in a thrice" to mean "instantly". In future, it will be "in a trice".
JD


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## natasha2000

Hi everybody....

I got very confused. 

I thought it is said *once*, *twice* and then *three times,* *four times* etc.

But, now I see that there is also thrice.

I also checked in the Marriam Webster Dictionary, and the word really exists!

Now my question is: How frequent is the word? Is it used on regular basis or it is not so common?

I am very surprised, since I have NEVER seen it in use. As a matter of fact, I thought it does not exist! Furthermore, I have never seen it in any grammar book I read (and I read a lot of them), and no English teacher had ever mentioned THRICE to me.

Please, tell me if you as NATIVE speakers use this word and if yes, when and in what contexts.
Thanks in advance.
N.


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## Pinkbeads

Hi,

Thrice definitely is a word, but it is very rarely used in spoken or written English.  I would not worry about trying to use it, just remember what it means if you ever hear it!


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## natasha2000

Pinkbeads said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> Thrice definitely is a word, but it is very rarely used in spoken or written English. I would not worry about trying to use it, just remember what it means if you ever hear it!


 
Well, good to know, since I was about to correct one forero saying that this word does not exist.... And then, I don't know why, I started to doubt and checked in the dictionary... Maybe it would not be such a bad idea to point out in the dictionary the frequency of the usage of some word... 

I am sure this forero looked into dictionary and used it, without knowing that it is more common to say three times...

Well, one thing is sure. You learn until you die.
Thanks a lot.
Cheers.
N.


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## bfabien

I've recently read the word 'thrice' in a modern US book.
Is this word still normally used, or could it be used for stylistic reasons (such has making the sentence sound more 'medieval') ?


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## la reine victoria

bfabien said:


> I've recently read the word 'thrice' in a modern US book.
> Is this word still normally used, or could it be used for stylistic reasons (such has making the sentence sound more 'medieval') ?


 


Hello bfabien.

"Thrice" is a very archaic word and one which is unlikely to be heard in modern conversation.

It could still be used stylistically and most people would understand its meaning.




LRV


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## languageGuy

There is an interesting thread on the subject here already.


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## paulie-nka

Hello everyone!

I found in the dictionary (http://megaslownik.pl/slownik/angielsko_polski/232568,thrice) that *thrice *is archaic way to say "three times". Does it sound unnaturally these days? Can I say e.g. "I have seen him thrice today." without sounding weird?


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## GreenWhiteBlue

paulie-nka said:


> Does it sound unnaturally *unnatural *these days?


In casual, informal conversation? Yes, it does.



> Can I say e.g. "I have seen him thrice today." without sounding weird?


 It would be a little odd no matter what.


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## Parla

Actually, no, you can't (replying for AE only; it may be different in BE). You'd be understood, but you'd be thought a bit, um, eccentric. Or perhaps amusing, depending on your audience.


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## paulie-nka

Thanks for your responses. 
There is: once, twice, _tree times_ then? There's no other way to say it, right?


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## airportzombie

paulie-nka said:


> Thanks for your responses.
> There is: once, twice, _tree times_ then? There's no other way to say it, right?



I thought you were going to break out into song:


> Yes, you're once, twice,
> Three times a lady.


-"Three Times A Lady", Commodores​
_Three times_ is the idiomatic way of saying "thrice". The dictionary is correct in tagging it archaic.​


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## PaulQ

Thrice is archaic in BE too.

(Pity, I would have extended it; once, twice, thrice, force, fice, sice... )


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## mr cat

I think it's fair to say that it's not common in speech but I wouldn't go as far as to call it archaic, google records it being used 92,000 times in the last 24 hours. Granted many of these are irrelevent but shows at least the word is fairly regulary used in print.


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## PaulQ

However, the Google n-gram viewer shows a ninefold and steady decline in its usage since 1800.


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## George French

If someone used thrice when talking to me I might just notice it as being a bit unusual, but then I grew up when it was in use...

GF...


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## ewie

*OFFICIAL: *_Thrice _is 'cool' again ... or as cool as anything associated with Queen Elizabeth II's grandson William, Duke of Something can be  On leaving the hospital where his third child had just been born the other day, the elongated prince said:


> Thrice the worry now!


If things carry on like this we'll soon be calling our children Æthelred and burning heretics again


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## Hermione Golightly

You'd think he'd had nothing to do with it. I'm more worried about the proposal to reintroduce dual case endings and deport all foreign words back to where they came from.


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## Pertinax

Hermione Golightly said:


> I'm more worried about the proposal to deport all foreign words back to where they came from.



Come now, you mustn't believe everything they say about Brexit


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