to trice up
- phrasal verb
- Archaic
- The sailors had to trice up the hammocks before cleaning the deck.
Examples
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Please trice up the loose ropes to prevent anyone from tripping over them.
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They quickly triced up the cargo before the storm hit.
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Please trice up the sail before we set off!
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He triced up the rope quickly.
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Before setting sail, the crew began to trice up the sails to prevent them from flapping in the wind.
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The sailor had to trice up the fishing nets to keep them secure on the deck.
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After securing the cargo, she decided to trice up the tarp to protect it from the rain.
Synonyms
To raise someone or something to a higher place
Fasten something with rope so it cannot move
To tie or secure something with a strong cord
Raise a flag or sail by pulling on ropes
To lift something or someone to a higher place
Pull a piece of clothing higher on your body
To tie a rope to something to hold it for safety, for example when climbing or docking a boat
To lift something heavy with a lot of effort
To pull something up or fasten it with a rope on a ship
How Secure
Surface Forms
Morphology
The MWE's meaning is directly compositional from 'trice' (to lift or lash by rope) plus the particle 'up' (indicating upward movement or completion), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer that it means to lift/raise and secure with a rope. Although 'trice' is a rare maritime verb, the verb+up construction is a common and predictable pattern in English, making the phrase transparent to someone familiar with the parts.
Etymology
The phrasal verb trice up comes from sailors on old ships. They used a short rope called a trice to pull things up and tie them fast, so trice up now means 'to lift and secure with a rope'.