Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1827-1974
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THREEPLE, adj., n., v. Also threple, thripple. [θripl]
I. adj. Triple, three-fold, in three parts, three times over (Abd. 1825 Jam.; ne.Sc., Ags. 1972). Comb. threeple-thrawcruik, a rope-twister with three hooks for twisting three strands at once (Abd. 1972).Lth. 1853 M. Oliphant Harry Muir xxxii.:
The land's to bear threple crops when the laird's new manager comes.Abd. 1924 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 442:
Not only the double, but even the “threeple” negative must occasionally be observed.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 4:
There tooered the threeple Eeldons.Abd. 1974 Buchan Observer (8 Oct.) 10:
You could make a pair of ploo reins, using a thripple or three-pronged thraw-heuk and binder twine.
II. n. Three times as many. Hence threeplet, a triplet, one of three born together (n., m., s.Sc. 1972).Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 380:
Jamie and his sisters would ride on his back — he could easy carry threeple.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxii.:
She hid threeplets 'at cam at 'e fift month.
III. v. 1. To increase threefold, to treble (ne.Sc., Ags. 1972).Abd. 1901 Wkly. Free Press (16 March):
Afore a fortnicht they doubled. Three weeks mair found them threeplet.
2. = Treeple, v., to beat triple time with the toe and heel in dancing (Abd. 1972).
[Altered form of Eng. triple, by conflation with three. Cf. Threebler.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Threeple adj., n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/threeple>
