third degree
English
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third degree
Where it comes from
Attested from 1900. The phrase, meaning "intense interrogation by police," likely refers to the Third Degree of Master Mason in Freemasonry, the ceremony for which included an interrogation. Alternatively, it reflects the practice of interrogation under torture, where three degrees of torture were recognized, of increasing intensity. In other contexts, three degrees of interrogation were recognised, with torture being the third degree.
noun
- Intensive rough interrogation in order to extract information or a confession When I came home at 4 a.m., my dad really gave me the third degree.
Translations
Every language
noun Translations
| Español | tercer grado, tantas preguntas, interrogatorio |
|---|---|
| Français | interrogatoire |
| Italiano | terzo grado |
Talk about this word "third degree." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/third%20degree. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. third degree. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/third%20degree "third degree." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/third%20degree.Cite this
@misc{third_degree_2026,
title = {third degree},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/third%20degree},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
