trice

Trice is a noun meaning a very short moment, most familiar in the idiom “in a trice,” which expresses doing something quickly or being ready very soon. The phrase is primarily found in British English and in older or literary writing, though it is understood in contemporary usage.

Examples include: “We’ll be ready in a trice,” or “The door opened in a trice.” In modern writing, speakers often substitute “in an instant” or “in no time” for a more formal tone. The word carries connotations of swift, decisive action rather than speed alone.

Origins: Trice dates from the medieval period within English; its exact etymology is uncertain, but it has long been used to denote a brief interval between events, gradually narrowing to the fixed expression “in a trice.”

Other notes: Beyond the idiom, “trice” is rarely used as an independent common noun today and appears most often in older texts. It may also appear as a surname and in historical or dialectical contexts.