third degree: Meaning and Definition of

third' degree'

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. intensive questioning or rough treatment, esp. by the police, in order to get information or a confession.
  2. the degree of master mason in Freemasonry.

third-de•gree

Pronunciation: (thûrd'di-grē'), [key]
— v., adj. -greed, -gree•ing,
—v.t.
  1. to subject to the third degree.
—adj.
  1. of or pertaining to the third degree.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.