The Triple Thread
Preserved but no longer current.
Brahmimsm. The ancient Brahmins wore a symbol of three threads, reaching from the right shoulder to the left. Faria says that their religion sprang from fishermen, who left the charge of the temples to their successors on the condition of their wearing some threads of their nets in remembrance of their vocation; but Osorius maintains that the triple thread symbolizes the Trinity.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Triple Thread” mean?
Brahmimsm. The ancient Brahmins wore a symbol of three threads, reaching from the right shoulder to the left. Faria says that their religion sprang from fishermen, who left the charge of the temples to their successors on the condition of their wearing some threads of their nets in remembrance of their vocation; but Osorius maintains that the triple thread symbolizes the Trinity.
Is “The Triple Thread” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.