Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Threefold, triple: Consisting of three parts, being three times as much or as many.
   • High-pitched: Having a high musical pitch or range, especially the highest part in harmonized music.

2. Noun:

   • A high-pitched voice or sound: The highest part in musical harmony, typically sung by children or sopranos.
   • The high-frequency range: The upper range of audio frequencies in sound reproduction.

3. Verb:

   • To triple: To make or become three times as much or as many.

Examples

• Adjective:

  • The company reported treble profits this quarter.
  • She sings in a beautiful treble voice.

• Noun:

  • The choir's treble was clear and pure.
  • Turn down the treble on the stereo; it's too sharp.

• Verb:

  • He managed to treble his investment in just two years.
  • The population has trebled since the 1950s.

Advanced Usage

• "To be in treble": (Archaic) To be in a state of being threefold.

  • The difficulty of the task was in treble what we had anticipated.

• "Treble chance": (British) A type of bet in football pools involving predicting draws in three matches.

  • He won a small fortune on the treble chance.

Variants and Related Words

• Trebleness (n, rare): The state or quality of being threefold.
• Treble clef (n): A musical symbol indicating that the notes on the staff are for a high-pitched instrument or voice.
  • The violin part is written in the treble clef.

Synonyms

• Adjective (threefold): Triple, threefold, tripartite.
• Adjective (high-pitched): Soprano, high, piping.
• Verb: Triple, triplicate.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Verb Phrases

(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Its verbal use is typically straightforward.)

Related Idioms

• "Treble figures": An amount reaching three digits (i.e., 100 or more).
  • Sales finally hit treble figures this month.

Adjective

1. having more than one decidedly dissimilar aspects or qualities; public preaching and private influence"- R.W.Emerson
   • a double (or dual) role for an actor
   • the office of a clergyman is twofold
   • every episode has its double and treble meaning-Frederick Harrison
2. having three units or components or elements
   • a ternary operation
   • a treble row of red beads
   • overcrowding made triple sessions necessary
   • triple time has three beats per measure
   • triplex windows
3. three times as great or many
   • a claim for treble (or triple) damages
   • a threefold increase
4. having or denoting a high range
   • soprano voice
   • soprano sax
   • the boy still had a fine treble voice
   • the treble clef

Noun

1. the pitch range of the highest female voice

Verb

1. increase threefold
   • Triple your income!
2. sing treble