trice

USAGE SUMMARY

"trice" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as a noun to describe an instance of something happening quickly or as a verb to mean to do something quickly. Example sentence: She triced through the finish line to win the race.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

The cannier despots know that whispers of dissent among the few can turn into howls of anger among the many in a Tunisian trice.

The Economist

At literary parties, tiddly in a trice, she could be the life and soul, mistaking the queen for Vera Lynn loudly and to her face, or inviting men to join her under the piano.

The Economist

The road to agnosticism The balladeer of the balance-sheet Price in a trice Degrees of democracy Correction: Greek banks ReprintsBut the project has proved its worth in other ways.

The Economist

He estimates that in America alone perhaps 100 old coal plants could be converted to nuclear within a decade a trice by the industry's standards.Not all nuclear nations have entered the fray.

The Economist

The road to agnosticism The balladeer of the balance-sheet Price in a trice Degrees of democracy Correction: Greek banks ReprintsSince then plenty of economists and political scientists have looked for statistical evidence of a causal link between education and democratisation.

The Economist

The road to agnosticism The balladeer of the balance-sheet Price in a trice Degrees of democracy Correction: Greek banks ReprintsPensions are a case in point.

The Economist

He had invented a plastic connection that allowed his floating constructions of nylon and aluminium to be assembled and disassembled in a trice.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

They do so because rotation is smoother than the up-and-down motion of pistons, and also because they are able to suck in vast amounts of air and thus burn the fuel with a lot of oxygen, which means that combustion is more or less complete.The "Archer-Trice" engine, as it is known, combines pulse jets with turbines.

The Economist

In the Archer-Trice engine, gaseous fuel is fed into a cylinder, which then rotates to compress the space in which the gas is held.

The Economist

They may even be able to sell surplus power back to the national grid.In the meantime, John and Laurie Archer are still refining their engine design and waiting for the day when Archer-Trice engines are taken up by the car industry.

The Economist

ICCU is keen to develop a more efficient and environmentally friendly power supply, and the Archer-Trice engine could provide a solution.The firm is investing several million euros in the project, and within nine months it hopes to use the Archer-Trice design to produce an efficient, natural-gas-fuelled generator capable of powering 1,000 homes.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "trice", ensure the context clearly indicates that you are referring to a very short period of time. This idiom is most effective when emphasizing the speed or immediacy of an action or event.

Common error

Avoid using "trice" in formal or technical writing where more precise language is required. It is best suited for informal or descriptive contexts where the emphasis is on swiftness rather than exact timing.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "trice" is as a noun within the idiomatic phrase "in a trice", functioning as an adverbial modifier to indicate the speed at which an action occurs. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes an instance of something happening quickly.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

93%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "trice" is a grammatically correct and common way to express that something happens very quickly or in a short amount of time. According to Ludwig, it functions as a noun within the idiom "in a trice", acting as an adverbial modifier. It's most frequently found in news and media contexts, indicating a neutral register suitable for descriptive writing. While alternatives like "in a flash" or "instantly" can be used, "trice" effectively conveys the sense of immediacy and swiftness. Remember to avoid it in formal or technical contexts where more precise language is needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in a flash

Emphasizes the sudden and instantaneous nature of an action or event.

in a moment

Indicates a very short period of time, similar to "trice".

in an instant

Highlights the immediate and rapid occurrence of something.

in a heartbeat

Conveys the idea of something happening as quickly as a heartbeat.

in the blink of an eye

Illustrates the speed of an event by comparing it to the brief closing of an eye.

in a jiffy

Informal way of saying something will be done very quickly.

in no time

Implies that something will happen without delay.

swiftly

Focuses on the quick and prompt manner in which something is done.

rapidly

Stresses the high speed or pace of an action.

immediately

Highlights that something occurs without any intervening time.

FAQs

How can I use "trice" in a sentence?

You can use "trice" to indicate something happening very quickly. For example, "The problem was solved in a trice."

What does "in a trice" mean?

The phrase "in a trice" means in a very short time; instantly.

Which is correct, "in trice" or "in a trice"?

"In a trice" is the correct and commonly used form. Using "in trice" is grammatically incorrect.

What can I say instead of "in a trice"?

You can use alternatives like "in a flash", "in a moment", or "instantly" depending on the context.