In a trice

Origin of: In a trice

In a trice

Means in a short moment or in a very short space of time and, in the form of ‘at’ a trice, dates from the mid-15th century. In a trice first appears in the early 16th century c.1508. The origin appears to be nautical where a trice was a windlass or a pulley in early sail ships during the 1400s. These pulleys were operated with one quick pull, hence the current meaning.