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the third degree. phrase. the use of violence or bad treatment, especially in order to persuade someone to confess (= say that they have committed a crime) or to give information: He said that he had never supported the use of torture, the third degree, the suspension of habeas corpus, or anything similar.
Jun 30, 2024 · The third degree is an intense, harsh way to question a suspect. Your parents' excessive questions about your plans for the weekend might feel like the third degree. It's very common for people to joke about the third degree, using it to mean "lots of questions" or "too much curiosity."
The meaning of THIRD DEGREE is the subjection of a prisoner to mental or physical torture to extract a confession. How to use third degree in a sentence.
‘The third degree’ is well-known to all US crime-fiction enthusiasts as ‘an intensive, possibly brutal, interrogation’. In Masonic lodges there are three degrees of membership; the first is called Entered Apprentice, the second Fellowcraft, and the third is master mason.
Getting the third degree means being subjected to intensive questioning or some kind of severe interrogation. This can range from having a heated discussion with your parents to being questioned by the police.
Jun 2, 2024 · 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. [1] Alternatively, it reflects the practice of interrogation under torture, where three degrees of torture were recognised, of increasing intensity.
If you say that someone has been given the third degree, you mean that they have been questioned or criticized severely. [informal] She's phoned to complain and you're suddenly being given the third degree. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers.
