Meaning of three-on-the-tree | Babel Free
Definitions
On an automobile (especially those produced from 1939 through the mid-1970s), a three-speed manual transmission whose gearshift lever is a column shifter (mounted on the steering column) (R-N-1-2-3); (metonymic) a vehicle with such a transmission.
US, idiomatic
Examples
“In driver's education, they used to teach students to drive in cars with a three-on-the-tree, but now the cars all have automatic transmissions.”
“His old car was a three-on-the-tree. Now he drives a four-on-the-floor.”
CEFR level
C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.