'Tri' This Quiz

Answer: Baseball idiom meaning a triple play

The modern use of 'trivia' is often credited to Ed Goodgold and Dan Carlinsky, Columbia University students, who co-wrote two books of trivia questions in 1965 and 1966. This began a series of intercollegiate competitions using trivia questions as its orientation. Trivia is perceived by the public as something obscure, perhaps unimportant, but interesting.

The three lower Artes Liberales, a Latin term pertaining to basic classical education, are grammar, logic and rhetoric.

Answer: Tributary

Tributaries form an important function as they provide drainage for a larger area than the main parent river. Sometimes these are small streams or creeks; some rival its parent. For instance, near Saint Louis, Missouri the Mississippi River meets its tributary the Missouri River both of which are celebrated in history and lore.

Answer: Trifecta

In a trifecta bet one must correctly select the three horses for win, place, and show (first, second, and third in order). Pari-mutuel is a French term. The pari-mutuel system is believed to have been invented by Joseph Oller in 1867. The so-called 'tote board' (or totalisator) is credited to Australian George Alfred Julius in 1913.

It operates under a mathematical formula that pools bets to create betting odds.

Answer: Yes

The word 'trinket' can be traced to the mid-16th century, but little or nothing is known of its origin. Synonyms include knickknack, ornament, bibelot, curio, trifle, gimcrack, gewgaw, toy, novelty. An example would be, "She toured London, Paris, and Rome but brought home only ugly trinkets".

Answer: Triage

Triage comes from a French verb trier, meaning to separate, sift, or select. The system tries to be objective about a patient's need for treatment as compared to others. Again, the word is related to 'three'.

A triage nurse has three choices. Each might be prone to human error.

1.Those who are likely to live, regardless of what care they receive.
2.Those who are likely to die, regardless of what care they receive.
3.Those for whom immediate care might make a positive difference in outcome.

Answer: Tripe

Tripe is a nutritious and cheap dish, hence it was once popular among the poor. Tripe consumption has declined over the years, although it is still eaten in some parts of the world. Most modern use is primarily for pet food.

Answer: Trip

Used as a noun, trip means going to a place and returning. Synonyms include excursion, outing, and jaunt.

Other definitions of 'trip' are:

1-A mode of travel, or the movement to relatively distant geographical locations
2-A psychedelic experience, such of the use of LSD
3-A stumble or misstep that results in falling
4-Faux pas, a socially awkward or tactless act

Answer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

In the Bible, the word "Trinity" is not in Scripture. A phrase such as "God in Three Persons" cannot be found. But, of course, the word 'Bible' does not occur either. Depending on the denomination that you subscribe, there may be varying interpretations of the Trinity.

The closest the Bible comes to defining the Trinity is Matthew 3:16-17 New International Version.

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Answer: trio

Although 'trio' is often applied to musical groups, it is a term that can be used to define many things that come in threes. Synonyms include threesome, triumvirate, triad, trinity, and troika.

Answer: Triptych

For the most part these are large canvases, frequently found in churches. Most often the center panel is larger than the two side panels. It might come as a surprise that the highest amounte paid (before the end of the 20th Century) for a triptych was $142 million for "Three Studies of Lucian Freud", by Francis Bacon, a contemporary painter, in 1969.

Other famous triptychs that you may see are "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch, "The Raising of the Cross" by Peter Paul Rubens, and "Stefaneschi Triptych" by Giotto.

The term has been also applied to sculpture, literature, and films.