TRIMESTER. Latin trimestris; tres, three, and mensis, month. In the German universities, a term or period of three months.—Webster.
TRINITARIAN. The popular name of a member of Trinity College in the University of Cambridge, Eng.
TRIPOS, pl. TRIPOSES. At Cambridge, Eng., any university examination for honors, of questionists or men who have just taken their B.A. The university scholarship examinations are not called triposes.—Bristed.
The Classical Tripos is generally spoken of as the Tripos, the
Mathematical one as the Degree Examination.—Ibid., p. 170.
2. A tripos paper.
3. One who prepares a tripos paper.—Webster.
TRIPOS PAPER. At the University of Cambridge, England, a printed list of the successful candidates for mathematical honors, accompanied by a piece in Latin verse. There are two of these, designed to commemorate the two Tripos days. The first contains the names of the Wranglers and Senior Optimes, and the second the names of the Junior Optimes. The word tripos is supposed to refer to the three-legged stool formerly used at the examinations for these honors, though some derive it from the three brackets formerly printed on the back of the paper.
Classical Tripos Examination. The final university examination for classical honors, optional to all who have taken the mathematical honors.—C.A. Bristed, in Webster's Dict.
The Tripos Paper is more fully described in the annexed extract. "The names of the Bachelors who were highest in the list (Wranglers and Senior Optimes, Baccalaurei quibus sua reservatur senioritas Comitiis prioribus, and Junior Optimes, Comitiis posterioribus) were written on slips of paper; and on the back of these papers, probably with a view of making them less fugitive and more entertaining, was given a copy of Latin verses. These verses were written by one of the new Bachelors, and the exuberant spirits and enlarged freedom arising from the termination of the Undergraduate restrictions often gave to these effusions a character of buffoonery and satire. The writer was termed Terræ Filius, or Tripos, probably from some circumstance in the mode of his making his appearance and delivering his verses; and took considerable liberties. On some occasions, we find that these went so far as to incur the censure of the authorities. Even now, the Tripos verses often aim at satire and humor. [It is customary to have one serious and one humorous copy of verses.] The writer does not now appear in person, but the Tripos Paper, the list of honors with its verses, still comes forth at its due season, and the list itself has now taken the name of the Tripos. This being the case with the list of mathematical honors, the same name has been extended to the list of classical honors, though unaccompanied by its classical verses."—Whewell on Cambridge Education, Preface to Part II., quoted in Bristed's Five Years in an Eng. Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 25.
TRUMP. A jolly blade; a merry fellow; one who occupies among his companions a position similar to that which trumps hold to the other cards in the pack. Not confined in its use to collegians, but much in vogue among them.