treble Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun the pitch range of the highest female voice
soprano.
verb sing treble
verb increase threefold
triple.
- Triple your income!
adjective satellite having or denoting a high range
soprano.
- soprano voice
- soprano sax
- the boy still had a fine treble voice
- the treble clef
adjective satellite three times as great or many
threefold; triple; three-fold.
- a claim for treble (or triple) damages
- a threefold increase
adjective satellite having three units or components or elements
triple; ternary; triplex.
- a ternary operation
- a treble row of red beads
- overcrowding made triple sessions necessary
- triple time has three beats per measure
- triplex windows
adjective satellite having more than one decidedly dissimilar aspects or qualities; public preaching and private influence"- R.W.Emerson
twofold; two-fold; double; three-fold; threefold; dual.
- 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

OE. treble threefold, OF. treble, treible, L. triplus. See Triple.

Threefold; triple.
A lofty tower, and strong on every side With treble walls. Dryden.
(Mus.) (a) Acute; sharp; as, a treble sound. Bacon. (b) Playing or singing the highest part or most acute sounds; playing or singing the treble; as, a treble violin or voice.

" It has been said to be a corruption of triplum [Lat.], a third part, superadded to the altus and bassus (high and low)." Grove.

(Mus.) The highest of the four principal parts in music; the part usually sung by boys or women; soprano. ✍ This is sometimes called the first treble, to distinguish it from the second treble, or alto, which is sung by lower female voices.

imperfect & past participle Trebled ; present participle & verbal noun Trebling

To make thrice as much; to make threefold. "Love trebled life." Tennyson.
To utter in a treble key; to whine. Obs.
He outrageously (When I accused him) trebled his reply. Chapman.