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 1885. D. Teleg., 20 Oct. The modest pulpit of an English church is as yet a rarity, for the complicated and extensive 'three-decker' is still in use all over the country.

1888. W.S. Ogden, Antique Furniture, 32. A three-decker sideboard, about 1700.

1896. Kipling, Seven Seas, 'The Three-Decker' [Title et passim].

Three-draws-and-a-spit, subs. phr. (common).—A cigarette.

Three F's (The), subs. phr. (political).—1. The demands of the Irish Land League: Free Sale, Fixity of Tenure, and Fair Rent: practically conceded by Mr Gladstone's Land Act (1881).

2. (vulgar).—'Fuck, Fun, and a Footrace.'

Three-legged Stool. To comb one's head with a three-legged stool (or joint-stool), verb. phr. (old).—A humorous threat of punishment. For quots. see Comb one's hair.

Three Trees (The), subs. phr. (old).—The gallows (B. E. and Grose). Also three-legged stool; three-cornered tree; three-legged mare (also two-legged mare, and mare with three legs), the Tyburn tree, and triple tree: see Nubbing-cheat. [Executions at Tyburn were abandoned in 1783, and thenceforward (in London) till 1868 took place in front of Newgate: see quot. 1785.]

1582. Breton, Toyes of an Idle Head, 28. For commonly such knaues as these Doe end their lyves vpon three trees.

1654. Witts Recreations [Nares]. And from the fruit of the three corner'd tree, Vertue and goodness still deliver me.

1685. Brown, Works, iv. 243. If your sadness does proceed from fear Of being mounted on a three-legg'd mare.

1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. iv. Gaol birds made to ride the two or three-legged mare that groans for them.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Three-legged mare This clumsy machine has given place to an elegant contrivance called the new drop, by which the use of that vulgar vehicle, a cart, or mechanical instrument a ladder, is also avoided; the patients being left suspended by the dropping down of that part of the floor on which they stand. This invention was first made use of for a peer.

1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, 'The Game of High Toby.' For the mare with three legs, boys, I care not a rap.

189[?]. Henley, Carmen Patibulare. Tree, old tree of the triple crook, And the Rope of the Black Election.

Three-out. See Out.

Three-penny (or Three-halfpenny), adj. phr. (old).—Common, vulgar; in little esteem; of little worth: cf. 'three-inch fool' (Shakspeare, Tam. Shrew, iv 1). Hence three-penny planet = an un-*propitious augury; three-halfpenny-horse-loaf (in contempt of an undersized person).

d. 1555. Latimer, Remains [Parker], 29. [A curate's wages, nine or ten pounds may be earned by some] three-halfpenny priest.

1630. Taylor, Works [Nares]. Some men (being borne under a three-*penny planet) can neither by paines, watching, labour, or any industry, be worth a groat.

Threepenny Upright (or Bit) (venery).—An act of coition taken standing with a threepenny whore: cf. perpendicular and knee-trembler (Grose).

Three-ply, subs. (American).—A Mormon having three wives.