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tierce

1

In the English-speaking world, a unit of liquid capacity, one-third of a pipe = 42 wine gallons (hence the name “tierce,” meaning third). See wine barrel for a chart tracing its changes in size and its relation to other wine measures. Abbr., “tier.”.¹

In the United States the tierce was used for lard, and became the barrel of petroleum.

1. Nesbit (1869), page 276;

2

Sometimes spelled “terce.” Among the medieval Christians of Europe, the period of the day from sunrise to midmorning. The other divisions of the day were sext, none, and vespers.