What does "three" mean?

Three: Three solemn aisles approach the shrine. Keble. Note: Three is often joined with other words, forming compounds signifying divided into, composed of, or containing, three parts, portions, organs, or the like; as, three-branched, three-capsuled, three-celled, three-cleft, three-edged, three-foot, three-footed, three-forked, three-grained, three-headed, three-legged, three- mouthed, three-nooked, three-petaled, three-pronged, three-ribbed, three-seeded, three-stringed, three-toed, and the like.

Additional senses

  1. 2.The number greater by a unit than two; three units or objects.
  2. 3.A symbol representing three units, as 3 or iii. Rule of three. (Arith.) See under Rule, n.

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