third
third — adjective
1. coming after two other people or things in a series, being the next one after th
coming after two other people or things in a series, being the next one after the second
Jason finished in third place in the school running race.
ordinal before noun: third place
This is the third time Zayd has called today.
The third chapter of the book explains how plants grow.
Our flat is on the third floor of the new building.
- 3rd
the numeral form, used in dates, addresses, and informal writing
用法筆記
This sense always appears before a noun, never after a linking verb. It is the standard ordinal form of the number three.
常見錯誤
2. having the third-highest level of authority, power, or importance within an orga
having the third-highest level of authority, power, or importance within an organization or system
The third officer on the ship was in charge of the night watch.
third [rank]: third officer
Nora holds the third position in the company's management team.
Minho was appointed as the third captain in the team's history.
The third secretary handles all visa applications at the embassy.
- tertiary
more formal and technical, often used in education or medicine
用法筆記
Typically used before a job title or position name. The most common pairings are with titles that form a hierarchy such as officer, secretary, or coach.
常見錯誤
3. referring to the forward gear in a vehicle that provides a speed between second
referring to the forward gear in a vehicle that provides a speed between second and fourth gear
Felipe shifted into third gear as the car climbed the hill.
shift into third gear
The driving instructor told Lien to use third gear on the highway.
The car struggled in third gear going up the steep mountain road.
A third gear helps the engine run smoothly at medium speeds.
- third speed
less common, slightly dated term for third gear
用法筆記
Used before the noun 'gear' or alone as in 'shift into third'. This sense refers to the gear itself, not to driving technique.
4. relating to a part that makes up one third of a total, as in a share, amount, or
relating to a part that makes up one third of a total, as in a share, amount, or portion split into three equal pieces
Gita received a third share of the family inheritance.
third share
A third portion of the land was set aside for the park.
The recipe calls for a third cup of sugar and two eggs.
Each of the three partners owns a third part of the business.
用法筆記
This adjective form is often replaced by the noun construction 'one third of' in everyday speech ('a third of the land'). The adjective form sounds slightly more formal.
5. coming at the end of each set of three things that appear one after another in a
coming at the end of each set of three things that appear one after another in a regular cycle
The garbage truck comes every third day in our neighbourhood.
every third [time interval]
Paloma visits her grandmother every third weekend of the month.
The third song in each set was always the slowest one.
Every third student in the line was asked to move to the front.
- every three
used with time periods: 'every three days' — less natural with concrete nouns
用法筆記
Often appears in the pattern 'every third + noun' to indicate a regular recurring interval. Distinguish from sense 1 (NEXT AFTER SECOND), which describes a single position rather than a repeating cycle.
third — noun
1. any of the three pieces you get when you split a whole into three equal parts; t
any of the three pieces you get when you split a whole into three equal parts; the fraction 1/3
Sade ate a third of the pizza and saved the rest.
a third of [noun]
Nearly a third of the students were absent on Monday.
The recipe calls for two thirds of a cup of milk.
Rohan divided his savings into thirds, one for each child.
- one third
the more explicit way of saying 'a third'
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' to specify the whole: 'a third of the population'. When the number is greater than one, the plural form 'thirds' is used: 'two thirds of the group'.
常見錯誤
2. the least advanced type of honours degree given by British and some other univer
the least advanced type of honours degree given by British and some other universities, placed below the second-class tier
Caleb graduated from the University of Bristol with a third.
with a third (degree classification)
A third is the lowest type of honours degree in the UK system.
Sofia needed at least a 2:1 for the job, but she only got a third.
Very few university students end up receiving a third these days.
- third-class honours degree
the full formal name
用法筆記
Primarily used in British higher education. The full phrase 'third-class honours degree' is formal; in conversation people say 'a third'. Compare with 'a 2:1' (upper second) and 'a 2:2' (lower second).
3. the base numbered three among the four bases a baseball runner must touch in ord
the base numbered three among the four bases a baseball runner must touch in order; also the defensive position near that base
The runner slid safely into third just before the tag.
into third (baseball base)
Jason plays third for the local baseball team on weekends.
The ball was hit hard down the line toward third base.
Felipe stole third while the pitcher was looking at first.
- third base
the full name, used for clarity
- hot corner
informal nickname for third base, because hard-hit balls often go there
用法筆記
In baseball contexts, 'third' alone (without 'base') is very common: 'He's on third', 'She plays third'. The full term 'third base' is used for clarity with non-fans.
4. a musical interval that spans three letter-name positions on the staff, such as
a musical interval that spans three letter-name positions on the staff, such as the space between the note C and the note E
The song begins with two notes that are a third apart.
a third apart (musical interval)
Maja learned to sing harmonies by moving up a third from the melody.
The piano teacher asked Gita to play all the major thirds in the scale.
A minor third on the piano sounds sadder than a major third from the same starting note.
- third interval
less common, more explicit phrasing
用法筆記
Thirds are classified as major (four semitones apart) or minor (three semitones apart). Beginners often learn to recognize thirds by ear before other intervals.
5. the competitor or item that comes right after the second-place entry in a contes
the competitor or item that comes right after the second-place entry in a contest, list, or ordering
Zayd finished third in the national chess tournament last year.
finished third (position in ranking)
The restaurant was ranked third among the city's best places to eat.
Reema came third in the singing competition and won a small prize.
Lien crossed the finish line as the third in the marathon.
- bronze medalist
specific to sports competitions that award medals
- third place
the position itself rather than the person holding it
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'finish', 'come', 'rank', or 'place' to indicate a competition result. No article is needed before 'third' in 'finish third', but 'the third' is used before a noun: 'the third finisher'.
常見錯誤
6. the gear in a motor vehicle that provides a forward speed between second and fou
the gear in a motor vehicle that provides a forward speed between second and fourth gears
Paloma shifted into third as the road straightened out.
shift into third (gear)
The car made a strange noise when Asher put it in third.
Stay in third until you reach the top of the hill.
The driving school car has a gear stick with five speeds up to fifth.
- third gear
the full term, slightly more formal
用法筆記
In driving contexts, 'third' alone usually means 'third gear'. The word 'gear' can be omitted: 'shift into third', 'driving in third'. This is the noun form; the corresponding adjective is 'third gear'.