Originally posted by: Ornery
Quality, NOT quantity! CNN, Machine Design, Forbes...Originally posted by: Chronoshock
Further google results:
Third time's A charm - 9150:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22third+time%27s+a+charm%22&btnG=Google+Search
Third time's THE charm - 8830:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22third+time%27s+the+charm%22&btnG=Search
So it seems like they're tied
With CNN in your thread, you know they are wrong. It is A, no doubt!
preslove
Lifer
- Sep 10, 2003
- 16,754
- 64
- 91
Third time is a charm=The third attempt is assisted by the luck of number three
Third time is the charm=the third attempt is the luckiest because of the number three.
"A" works because it connotes the fact that luck is merely added by the number. 7 also could add a charm because of its occult significance.
There is no "the" charm, only ''a'' charm or some charms. You can have a charm bracelet and an occult amulet. Neither one is "the" charm. Both ward evil.
OED: Charm
b. Anything worn about the person to avert evil or ensure prosperity; an amulet.
1596 SPENSER F.Q. I. ii. 18 Curse on that Cross..Dead long ygoe, I wote, thou haddest bin, Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt. 1693 W. ROBERTSON Phraseol. Gen. 86 An Amulet or Inchantment and Charm hung about one's neck or wrest against witchcraft. 1832 H. MARTINEAU Life in Wilds vii. 84 Dame Fulton tied a charm round her neck to prevent her being wounded by any venomous reptile. 1832 LANDER Exp. Niger I. xi. 72 The horse's head was loaded with charms and fetishes. 1838-42 ARNOLD Hist. Rome (1846) II. xi. 407 He was very much afraid of thunder and lightning and always carried about with him a seal skin, as a charm against its power.
b. like a charm: wonderfully, perfectly. Also to a charm.
1845 Niles' Reg. 25 Oct. 128/1 The new rig works to a charm. 1851 T. A. BURKE Polly Peablossom's Wedding 40 Whenever he became refractory, his wife would stick her thimble on the end of her finger, and hold it up for him to look at{em}it acted like a charm! 1869 P. T. BARNUM Struggles & Triumphs viii. 123 He assured me that he should be able to give his imitations ?to a charm?. 1882 Philad. Press 19 Mar. (Th.), The freezing-out process was applied by Mr. Bliss to Cook, and it worked like a charm. 1934 F. N. HART Crooked Lane iii. 99 Bill Stirling gave her one the other night, and she said it worked like a charm. 1967 M. SHULMAN Kill 3 II. i. 59 ?It's worked like a charm,? said West.
Third time is the charm=the third attempt is the luckiest because of the number three.
"A" works because it connotes the fact that luck is merely added by the number. 7 also could add a charm because of its occult significance.
There is no "the" charm, only ''a'' charm or some charms. You can have a charm bracelet and an occult amulet. Neither one is "the" charm. Both ward evil.
OED: Charm
b. Anything worn about the person to avert evil or ensure prosperity; an amulet.
1596 SPENSER F.Q. I. ii. 18 Curse on that Cross..Dead long ygoe, I wote, thou haddest bin, Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt. 1693 W. ROBERTSON Phraseol. Gen. 86 An Amulet or Inchantment and Charm hung about one's neck or wrest against witchcraft. 1832 H. MARTINEAU Life in Wilds vii. 84 Dame Fulton tied a charm round her neck to prevent her being wounded by any venomous reptile. 1832 LANDER Exp. Niger I. xi. 72 The horse's head was loaded with charms and fetishes. 1838-42 ARNOLD Hist. Rome (1846) II. xi. 407 He was very much afraid of thunder and lightning and always carried about with him a seal skin, as a charm against its power.
b. like a charm: wonderfully, perfectly. Also to a charm.
1845 Niles' Reg. 25 Oct. 128/1 The new rig works to a charm. 1851 T. A. BURKE Polly Peablossom's Wedding 40 Whenever he became refractory, his wife would stick her thimble on the end of her finger, and hold it up for him to look at{em}it acted like a charm! 1869 P. T. BARNUM Struggles & Triumphs viii. 123 He assured me that he should be able to give his imitations ?to a charm?. 1882 Philad. Press 19 Mar. (Th.), The freezing-out process was applied by Mr. Bliss to Cook, and it worked like a charm. 1934 F. N. HART Crooked Lane iii. 99 Bill Stirling gave her one the other night, and she said it worked like a charm. 1967 M. SHULMAN Kill 3 II. i. 59 ?It's worked like a charm,? said West.
silverpig
Lifer
- Jul 29, 2001
- 27,703
- 12
- 81
Google says 9080 for a
Google says 8740 for the
And it is "a" by the way.
a implies that 3 is lucky. Third time's a charm = It happened because 3 is a lucky number.
the implies that only 3 is lucky. Third time's the charm = It happened on the third time because 3 is the only lucky number.
Google says 8740 for the
And it is "a" by the way.
a implies that 3 is lucky. Third time's a charm = It happened because 3 is a lucky number.
the implies that only 3 is lucky. Third time's the charm = It happened on the third time because 3 is the only lucky number.
dullard
Elite Member
- May 21, 2001
- 25,913
- 4,498
- 126
How many people truely have multiple luckiest numbers? Most likely (if you believe in luck), you have one luckiest number. Therefore there is one single number that is most likely to be the luckiest. THE number is your best chance. Sure there may be some other less lucky numbers that still have luck, but there is one that is your most lucky.
I personally think the lucky number 3 comes from the holy trinity, so many people believe it is THE lucky number. Others have number seven as THE lucky number. So their phrase may be "seventh time is the charm". Who knows what your one luckiest number is - and thus your greatest chance of success will be. Of course this assumes you believe that there is any such thing as luck.
I really think the phrase is intended to say that there is ONE time that is your luckiest. Thus there is THE charm.
Important update! The people I went to lunch with all said THE. It means little except that I now have met someone who says THE instead of A.
Both are technically grammatically correct.
Third time's a charm.
- For those arguing that "a" charm does not make the third time unique because perhaps the second time or fourth time could also be a charm does not make complete sense. While you could interpret it this way, it can also be interpreted that this phrase allows for the possibilities of other charms, not forcing only one charm to exist as "the" tends to do.
Third time's the charm.
- In this case, "the" would indicate the third time is the charm of the numerated attempts at something. "A" eliminates the need for this specificity, since it is just "a" charm of many possible charms, whereas "the" could imply it is the only charm, which I don't believe anyone wants to imply (instead the meaning should be that the third time is the charm of the times you try).
I prefer "a".
Third time's a charm.
- For those arguing that "a" charm does not make the third time unique because perhaps the second time or fourth time could also be a charm does not make complete sense. While you could interpret it this way, it can also be interpreted that this phrase allows for the possibilities of other charms, not forcing only one charm to exist as "the" tends to do.
Third time's the charm.
- In this case, "the" would indicate the third time is the charm of the numerated attempts at something. "A" eliminates the need for this specificity, since it is just "a" charm of many possible charms, whereas "the" could imply it is the only charm, which I don't believe anyone wants to imply (instead the meaning should be that the third time is the charm of the times you try).
I prefer "a".
TEH TEH TEH you l0zers! Everybody know its Third time's TEH charm!! I'm teh winnar!! you aren't l337 like me!! TEH TEH TEH.
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