triple
triple — adjective
1. formed from three separate items or elements that work together as a single unit
formed from three separate items or elements that work together as a single unit.
Amelia signed a triple agreement that covered rent, utilities, and internet costs.
collocation: triple agreement / triple award
Rania's doctor recommended triple bypass surgery after finding blockages in three arteries.
collocation: triple bypass surgery (medical context)
Bao won a gold medal in the triple jump at the national athletics meet.
Quinn ordered a triple burger with three different kinds of cheese on top.
- threefold
more formal; often used in academic or technical writing
- tripartite
very formal; used mainly in politics, law, or business for three-party arrangements
- single
consisting of only one part or element
文法句型
triple + noun
2. describes a musical rhythm where each bar contains three main beats, as in a wal
describes a musical rhythm where each bar contains three main beats, as in a waltz.
Felix tapped his foot to the triple beat of the waltz his sister played on the piano.
musical term: triple time / triple metre
The piano teacher showed the class that a waltz uses triple time, counting 'ONE-two-three' for each bar.
Diya learned to count triple time by saying one-two-three while clapping.
The band switched from a rock beat to a triple rhythm for the slow section.
文法句型
triple + time / rhythm / meter
用法筆記
In music writing, 'triple' is almost always paired with a following noun such as 'time', 'meter', or 'rhythm'. You would not say 'a triple song' — instead say 'a song in triple time'.
3. equal to three times the usual size, amount, value, or level of something.
equal to three times the usual size, amount, value, or level of something.
Yara received a triple payment for working on the national holiday.
pattern: triple + noun for quantity
Mei earned a triple bonus for completing the project two weeks ahead of schedule.
attributive adjective: triple + noun (bonus, prize, reward)
Kemi took a triple portion of rice because she had not eaten all day.
The doctor prescribed a triple dose of the medicine for the first three days.
- threefold
more formal; often used after the noun ('a threefold increase')
- half
the opposite direction of size comparison
文法句型
triple + noun (amount, size, value)
常見錯誤
triple — noun
1. a baseball play in which the batter strikes the ball and reaches third base safe
a baseball play in which the batter strikes the ball and reaches third base safely in one run.
Kevin hit a triple in the bottom of the ninth, driving in two runs for his team.
baseball: hit / get / slug a triple
The triple bounced past the center fielder and rolled toward the wall.
Anna's triple cleared the bases and put her team ahead by three runs.
The crowd stood up when they saw the triple heading toward deep left field.
- three-base hit
formal baseball term; used in rulebooks and statistics
文法句型
hit / get / slug + a triple
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'double' (the batter stops at second base) and 'home run' (the batter rounds all bases). In baseball statistics, triples are the rarest type of hit.
2. a jump in ice skating or rollerblading where the athlete spins through three com
a jump in ice skating or rollerblading where the athlete spins through three complete rotations in the air before landing.
Élise landed her first triple during the championship competition in Montreal.
sports: do / land / attempt a triple
The figure skater landed a triple axel by spinning three full times before touching the ice.
The young skater fell on her triple but got up and finished the program.
Diya practiced her triple for months before attempting it in a real competition.
- three-revolution jump
descriptive term; less common in everyday skating talk
文法句型
do / land / attempt + a triple
用法筆記
In competitive judging, triples are named by their take-off edge and landing (e.g. 'triple axel', 'triple lutz'). A 'quad' is a jump with four rotations.
triple — predeterminer
1. placed before a noun phrase to mean three times that thing's amount, size, or st
placed before a noun phrase to mean three times that thing's amount, size, or strength — for example, charging triple the usual fee, or taking triple the recommended dose.
Min paid triple the normal price for concert tickets during the festival weekend.
pattern: triple + the + noun
The new engine delivers triple the power of the old model while using less fuel.
The landlord charged them triple their usual rent after the apartment was renovated.
Kemi paid triple the going rate for a taxi during the New Year storm.
- three times
more common in everyday speech; 'three times the price' vs 'triple the price'
文法句型
triple + the/this/that + noun
triple + possessive + noun
用法筆記
Unlike the adjective 'triple', the predeterminer must be followed by a determiner ('the', 'this', 'my', etc.) before the noun. Compare: 'a triple dose' (adjective + noun) vs 'triple the dose' (predeterminer + determiner + noun).
常見錯誤
triple — verb
1. to reach three times the original number, size, or volume, through natural growt
to reach three times the original number, size, or volume, through natural growth or deliberate action.
The company's profits tripled in just two years after the new product launch.
intransitive use: subject + tripled
Talia tripled the recipe because she was cooking for twenty dinner guests.
transitive use: subject + tripled + object
The population of the town tripled after the new highway made travel easier.
Anna tripled her savings in three years by investing in the stock market.
- treble
same meaning; more common in British English than American English
- halve
to reduce to half the original amount
文法句型
something triples
someone triples something
用法筆記
Can be used both ways without changing form. The intransitive pattern ('Sales tripled') describes a result; the transitive pattern ('They tripled sales') describes an action that produced the result.
常見錯誤
2. in baseball, to hit the ball and safely reach third base, often allowing other r
in baseball, to hit the ball and safely reach third base, often allowing other runners to score during the play.
Sven tripled to right field and brought the tying run home for his team.
baseball: triple + to + direction
The shortstop tried to catch the ball, but Kian tripled on a line drive to deep center.
Ramírez tripled to deep right-center field, driving in two teammates from base.
Devika tripled down the left-field line, and the crowd roared with excitement.
文法句型
someone triples + adverbial (direction/field)
用法筆記
This verb only occurs in baseball contexts. The related noun 'triple' (noun sense 1) is far more common; the verb form is used mainly in play-by-play commentary.