a. Of or pertaining to a tribe or tribes; as, a tribal scepter. Bp. Warburton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of existing in tribes; also, tribal feeling; tribal prejudice or exclusiveness; tribal peculiarities or characteristics. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. tri- + basic. ] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing three molecules of a monacid base, or their equivalent; having three hydrogen atoms capable of replacement by basic elements on radicals; -- said of certain acids; thus, citric acid is a tribasic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Paper Manuf.) A frame on which paper is dried. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. tribus, originally, a third part of the Roman people, afterwards, a division of the people, a tribe; of uncertain origin: cf. F. tribu. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A family, race, or series of generations, descending from the same progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. “The Lion of the tribe of Juda.” Rev. v. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wealthy Hebrew of my tribe. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ By many recent naturalists, tribe has been used for a group of animals or plants intermediate between order and genus. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude people united under one leader or government; as, the tribes of the Six Nations; the Seneca tribe. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from whatever cause that distinction may have originated; as, the city of Athens was divided into ten tribes. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Stock Breeding) A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line; as, the Duchess tribe of shorthorns. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To distribute into tribes or classes. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Our fowl, fish, and quadruped are well tribed. Abp. Nicolson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. tri`bein to rub. ] a combining form relating to friction. [ PJC ]

n. [ tribo- + electricity. ] electrical charge developed by rubbing objects together, suc as amber on cat fur. [ PJC ]

{ , n. } [ F. triboulet. ] 1. A goldsmith's tool used in making rings. Ainsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A steel cylinder round which metal is drawn in the process of forming tubes. Tomlinson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Blacksmithing) A tapering mandrel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ tribo- + -ology. ] the study of the effects of friction on parts of machinery moving in contact with each other, and of methods, such as lubrication, to counteract negative effects such as wear. [ PJC ]