/tears/ , n.
1. an old measure of capacity equivalent to one third of a pipe, or 42 wine gallons.
2. a cask or vessel holding this quantity.
3. Also, terce . Eccles. the third of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, originally fixed for the third hour of the day (or 9 A.M.).
4. Fencing. the third of eight defensive positions.
5. Piquet. a sequence of three cards of the same suit, as an ace, king, and queen (tierce major) , or a king, queen, and jack (tierce minor) .
6. Obs. a third or third part.
[ 1325-75; ME tiers tertius THIRD ]