/ ˈtrebl; NAmE / noun , verb , determiner , adjective
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the high tones or part in music or a sound system :
to turn up the treble on the stereo
—compare bass
2.
[ C ] a child's high voice; a boy who sings with a treble voice
—compare soprano
3.
[ sing. ] a musical part written for a treble voice
4.
[ sing. ] ( BrE ) three successes in a row :
The victory completed a treble for the horse's owner.
■ verb
to become, or to make sth, three times as much or as many
SYN triple :
[ v ]
Cases of food poisoning have trebled in the last two years.
[ vn ]
He trebled his earnings in two years.
■ determiner
[ usually before noun ] three times as much or as many :
Capital expenditure was treble the 2002 level.
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] high in tone :
a treble voice
the treble clef (= the symbol in music showing that the notes following it are high)
—picture at music
—compare bass
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and determiner Middle English : via Old French from Latin triplus , from Greek triplous .
noun senses 1 to 3 and adjective late Middle English : from treble (in its numerical sense), because it was the highest part in a three-part contrapuntal composition.