A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

third degree • third-class degree
third degree —
1
. prolonged or hard questioning; use of tor-
ture to get confession or information: “You don’t think they’re
giving him third degree or anything of that sort?” “My dear
fellow, third degree? You’ve been watching too many old
movies on the TV.” 2. (U.S. legal) the least serious grade of a
particular crime: Maliciously burning in the day time a build-
ing, the burning of which in the night time would be arson
in the second degree, is arson in the third degree. 3. (in clas-
sification of burns) highest in intensity: Injuries of the first and
second degree will leave practically no scarring but serious
deformities may result from the third degree burns.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase third level—(Irish) used with reference to higher educa-
tion: Greater resources needs to be put into education at the
earliest stages so that young people will make it through to
third level.
third-class degree —the lowest honors degree obtained from
a British university: This was the year when Dodgson com-
pleted his studies receiving a third class degree in Classics.
this is where I came in • where do I come in
this is where I came in —
1
. this is where I had to do my part:
The facilities they have must be maintained and improved, so
this is where I came in to help out. 2. my knowledge dates
from this point: “Anything else you want to ask me?” “No.
This is where I came in. Tomorrow we’ll go call on a few peo-
ple who may have a few answers.”
where do I come in —in what position am I under the cir-
cumstances; what part do I have to play: You ask me to work
in your firm; but where do I come in and what are my duties?