Prime

prim, a. Primitive; primary; first in rank, de- gree, dignity, or importance first in excellence; of highest quality early blooming. — n. The first part; beginning or opening, as of the day, year, etc.; the dawn; the spring; spring of life youth; full health, strength, or heauty that which first in quality; best portion. (Rom. Cath. Ch.) The first canonical hour, succeeding to lauds.— v. [primed (primd), priming.] To the vent with powder, etc., for communicating fire, from the percu ion cap, etc., to the charge; to lay the color in painting upon. [ME. and OF.; L. prima (hora), the first hour of the day, fern, of primus for proimus, AS. form a, Goth., fruma, Skr. pratama, Gr.protos, first to prime a gun is prob. to put into prime (excellent) order.] —Prime meridian. (Astron.) The meridian from which longitude reckoned.—P. minister. The responsible head of the ministry in Eng.— P. mover. (3Iech.) A natural force applied by man to the production of power; an engine intended to receive and modify force and motion as supplied by some natural source and apply them to drive other machines. — P. number. (Arith.) A number which divisible — only by itself or unity, as 11. P. vertical. (Astron.) The vertical circle which pa es through the E. and W. points of the horizon.— Primmer, prim'- er, n. An instrument for priming. — Prime'ne , State of being first: excellence.— Pri'mal, a. First. [LL. primal is.] — Pri'mary, -ma-rt, a. First in order of time or development; preparatory to something higher; in dignity or importance; original; chief; lowest; primitive; elemental.— That which stands highest in rank or importance, pi. Ornith.) One of the large feathers on the last joint of a bird's wing. [L. primarius.] —Primary meeting. In U. S. politics, a preliminary meeting of voters to nominate candidates for election, or choose delegates to a convention a caucus. — Pri'marily, -marf-lT, adv. In a primary manner; in the first place; originally. — Pri'marine , — Pri'mate, -mat, The chief ecclesinstic in a national church: an archbishop. [ME. and OF. prim at, f L. primas, -mat is, a chief man.] — Pri'mateship, -macy, -ma-st, n. Office or dignity of a primate. [OF. primace.] — Pre'- mier, -mY-er/a. First; chief; principal. (Her.) Most ancient. — Premier, pre'mY-er or prem'yer, The chief minister of state prime minister. [F.] — Primming, primming, n. The powder, etc., used to communicate fire from the percu ion cap, etc., to the charge in a firearm, etc. (Paint.) The first color laid on canvas, or on a building, etc. (Steam Eng.) The act of carrying over water from the boiler into the cylinder.— Primitive, prtm'T-tiv, a. Pert, to the beginning or origin, or to early times; characterized by simplicity; formal; prim; antique; antiquated; original; primary; radical. — An original word; a_word not derived from another. [F. pHmitif, fern, -tive, L. primitirus.] — Primitively, adv. Originally; at first; primarily; according to the original rule or ancient practice.— Primltivene , re.— Primmer, prlm'er, A small, elementary book for teaching children to read. (Print.) A kind of type, of which there are 2 species; one, called long-primer, in size between small pica and bourgeois; the other, called great primer, larger than English, and the largest type commonly used in printing books. [Orig. the book of prime, or devotions, then an elementary book.] The type called long-primer. Great-primer type. eve, term In, Ice Odd, tone, 6r 465 PRINCE 447 — Prime'val, prt-me'val, a. Belonging to the first ages; pristine; original; primitive. [L. primsevus, primus and wvum, age.] — Pri moge 'nial, -je'nT-al, a. First born, made, or generated; primary; constituent; elemental. [L. nrtmogenius genere, gignere, to beget.] — Primogenitor, -T-tSr, n. The first father or forefather. [L. primus and genitor, parent, father.] — Pri'mogenlture, -Y-chur. n. Seniority by birth among children. (Eng. Law.) The exclusive right of inheritance which belongs to the eldest son or daughter. [OF.] — Pri mogen it ure ship, n. — Primor'dial, -mSr'dY-al, a. First in order; original; existing from the beginning; of earliest origin, —n. Prior, First principle or element; origin. [L. primordial is, f pnmordiitm, the first beginning; ordiri, to begin.] -— Prim''rose, prTm'roz, n. An earlv flowering Herbaceous plant of many species. [F. prime rose, L. prima rosa, first rose, as coming early in the spring; or a corrupt, of ME. pi uuerole, Sp. and LL. primula, a primrose, dim. of L. primus.']