three-on-the-tree

English edit

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

  • (file)

Noun edit

three-on-the-tree (plural three-on-the-trees)

  1. (US, idiomatic) On an automobile (especially those produced from 1939 through the mid-1970s), a three-speed manual transmission whose gearshift lever is mounted on the steering column.
    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 transmission.

See also edit