Now only Sc. and dial. Forms: α. 4–6 treste, 6 Sc. treist, 5– trest. β. 5 Sc. trast, 6 Sc. traist. γ. 5 tryste, 5–6 tryst, 6 trist. δ. 6 triss, 6–9 tress. [a. OF. treste, var. of traste, orig. trastre, trestre (12–13th c. in Godef.):—L. transtrum, *trāstrum cross-beam, transom; cf. obs. It. trasto, pl. trasti the benches of a galley, transoms (Florio), which has also lost the second r.]

1

  1.  = TRESTLE 1.

2

13[?].  Seuyn Sag. (W.), 3874. The kinges dener wele was grayd; Thai set trestes and bordes on layd.

3

13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., B. 832. Þe trestes tylt to þe woȝe & þe table boþe.

4

1432.  Test. Ebor. (Surtees), II. 22. j met bord wt j pare trystes.

5

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, X. 40. Thai … Past our the bryg: Wallace gert wrychtis call, Hewyt trastis: wndyd the passage all.

6

1501.  Douglas, Pal. Hon., III. lxx. Traists, formis, and benkis, war poleist plane.

7

1565.  in Hay Fleming, Reform. Scotl. (1910), 610. Ane aikin burd standand on treistis.

8

1627.  May, Lucan, X. 133. High tresses golden tables bore.

9

1665.  J. Fraser, Polichron. (S.H.S.), 197. The trests and supporters of the oaken table.

10

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, xiv. When the boards and tresses on which the viands had been served were withdrawn.

11

1886.  J. Barrowman, Sc. Mining Terms, Tress, a trestle; the fulcrum for the lever used in boring.

12

  † b.  A rest used with a harquebus or other fire-arm: = TRESTLE 4 a. Obs.

13

1513.  Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., IV. 527. ij cartis with gwnstainis,… the cran with the traistis for the gwn. Ibid. (1515), V. 15. Four gret eschin treis to mak trestis for hacbuschis. Ibid. (1543–4), VIII. 248. For fraucht of thre boittis witht the said artalȝe, having tressis,… and other necessaris convenient thairfore.

14

  2.  A tripod; a three-legged stool: = TRESTLE 2. Now dial., and variously used.

15

1483.  Cath. Angl., 393/2. A Tryste (A. A Tristylle), tripos, tristula.

16

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, III. vi. 11. God Apollois divinationis, Vnder his trestis and burdis at Delphos schene.

17

1547–64.  Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. (Palfr.), 10. Certaine fishers found a golden treste or triuet, on which was written ‘sapienti,’ that is, Giue this to a wise man.

18

a. 1800.  Pegge, Suppl. Grose, Trest, a strong large stool. Lanc.

19

1882.  Lanc. Gloss., Trest, a strong bench; a butcher’s block [cf. sense 1].

20