Triple or treble?

[Shatnerfan]

What's the difference between these two?

[Jackanory]

There doesn't appear to be any difference Shatnerfan.  My big fat dictionary says:

treble  threefold; triple

triple  consisting of three parts; threefold

Quizmonster . . . where aaaaare yoooouu!!

[Quizmonster]

You don't need me, Jack! You've got it exactly right. The only difference is in usage. In athletics, there is the 'triple jump' and no-one would ever call it the 'treble jump'. Similarly, no-one would go into a bookmaker's shop and place a bet on a 'triple' at Ascot. It's a bit like 'regal' and 'royal'...both come from 'king-like', the first from Latin and the second from French. By the same token, none of us would speak of 'the regal family' when speaking of the inhabitants of Buckingham Palace. Cheers

[Jackanory]

Thankyou, Quizmonster, I knew we could rely on you!  :o)

[BetsyLou]

There's also a difference in show jumping: a triple is a single spread jump (with three bars making the physical jump longer, rather than higher) and a treble is a combination of three jumps in succession. A bit specific I know, but you asked!