third

 
Pronunciation: /θəːd/

ordinal number

  • 1constituting number three in a sequence; 3rd: the third century the third of October Edward the Third
  • the third finisher or position in a race or competition: Hill finished third
  • the third in a sequence of a vehicle’s gears: he took the corner in third
  • Baseball third base.
  • chiefly British the third form of a school or college.
  • thirdly (used to introduce a third point or reason): second, they are lightly regulated; and third, they do business with non-resident clients
  • British a place in the third grade in an examination, especially that for a degree.
  • 2each of three equal parts into which something is or may be divided: a third of a mile
  • 3 Music an interval spanning three consecutive notes in a diatonic scale, e.g. C to E ( major third, equal to two tones) or A to C ( minor third, equal to a tone and a semitone).
  • the note which is higher by a third than the tonic of a diatonic scale or root of a chord.

Phrases

third time lucky (or US third time is the charm)

used to express the hope that, after twice failing to accomplish something, one may succeed in the third attempt.

Origin:

Old English thridda, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch derde and German dritte, also to three. The spelling thrid was dominant until the 16th century (but thirdda is recorded in Northumbrian dialect as early as the 10th century)