(adjective) : trēs (also treis and trīs; acc. tres and tris), trĭa, Sanscr. tri-, trajas; Gr. τρεῖς, τρία; Goth. thrija; Germ. drei; Engl. three.
* Three: duas, tris minas auferunt,Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 7: tria corpora, Tris species tam dissimiles,Lucr. 5, 93 sq.: horum trium generum quodvis,Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 42: hoc loquor de tribus his generibus,id. ib. 1, 28, 44: tribus modis, uno ... altero ... tertio ...,Cic. Div. 1, 30, 64: fundos decem et tres reliquit,id. Rosc. Am. 7, 20.
* To denote a small number: (sermo) tribus verbis,of three words,Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 29; so, verbis,id. Trin. 4. 2, 121; cf. Ter. Phorm. 4, 3, 33; Ov. P. 4, 3, 26: ego tribus primis verbis, quid noster Paetus; at ille, etc.,at the first three words,Cic. Fam. 9, 19, 1: haec omnia in tribus verbis,Quint. 9, 4, 78: chartis,Cat. 1, 5: suavia,id. 79, 4: cum tribus illa bibit,Mart. 13, 124, 2.