Tierce \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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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