treble

[treb-uh l] /ˈtrɛb əl/
adjective
1.
threefold; triple.
2.
Music.
  1. of or pertaining to the highest part in harmonized music; soprano.
  2. of the highest pitch or range, as a voice part, voice, singer, or instrument.
  3. high in pitch; shrill.
noun
3.
Music.
  1. the treble or soprano part.
  2. a treble voice, singer, or instrument.
4.
a high or shrill voice or sound.
5.
the highest-pitched peal of a bell.
verb (used with object), verb (used without object), trebled, trebling.
6.
to make or become three times as much or as many; triple.
Origin
1275-1325; (adj. and noun) Middle English < Middle French < Latin triplus triple; (v.) Middle English treblen, derivative of the adj.
Related forms
trebly
[treb-lee] /ˈtrɛb li/ (Show IPA), adverb
Examples from the web for treble
  • In its first version the scheme was even grander: its aim was to treble today's transfer.
  • Carrying a lock would probably treble the weight of the bike.
  • Experts predict that to meet the growing demand, operators in developed countries may have to treble the number of base stations.
  • Every word has a double, treble, or centuple use and meaning.
British Dictionary definitions for treble

treble

/ˈtrɛbəl/
adjective
1.
threefold; triple
2.
of, relating to, or denoting a soprano voice or part or a high-pitched instrument
noun
3.
three times the amount, size, etc
4.
a soprano voice or part or a high-pitched instrument
5.
the highest register of a musical instrument
6.
  1. the high-frequency response of an audio amplifier, esp in a record player or tape recorder
  2. a control knob on such an instrument by means of which the high-frequency gain can be increased or decreased
7.
(bell-ringing) the lightest and highest bell in a ring
8.
  1. the narrow inner ring on a dartboard
  2. a hit on this ring
verb
9.
to make or become three times as much
Derived Forms
trebleness, noun
trebly, adverb, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from Latin triplus threefold, triple
Word Origin and History for treble
adj.

late 14c., "three times, triple," from Old French treble (12c.), from Latin triplus (see triple).

v.

early 14c., "to multiply by three," from Old French trebler, from treble (see treble (adj.)). Related: Trebled; trebling.

n.

"highest part in music, soprano," mid-14c., from Anglo-French treble, Old French treble (see treble (adj.)). In early contrapuntal music, the chief melody was in the tenor, and the treble was the "third" part above it (after the alto).