in a trice

in a trice

Meaning

• In the moment, instantly.
• Without causing any delays.
• Very fast.

Example Sentences

1. I will be there in a trice, stop calling me so often.
2. The company wound up in a trice. Nobody even had a chance to understand what happened before the owners packed up and left.
3. She was only 10 minutes late to the party but apparently the cake was over in a trice.
4. He was one of the richest men in the region but it all got over in a trice. Today he is hiding somewhere abroad.
5. The train leaves from this station in a trice so do not be late.
6. You cannot break a marriage in a trice. Take your time and think about things again.
7. The most interesting part of the play got over in a trice. Everything else was very boring so we got out before it ended.

Origin
The word ‘trice' was referred to a single pull in the early 1400's. This was a word from the nautical windlass. In the year 1440, the phrase ‘all at a tryse' was used in the ‘The lyfe of Ipomydon'. The phrase as we see it, albeit with a slightly different spelling of trice (tryce) was used in the year 1508 by John Skelton.