First rate

Of the highest excellence in point of size, quality, or estimation; predominant; as, a first rate dinner, he's a first - rate fellow. ( Naut .) Being of the largest size, or highest cla ; as, a first - rate line-of-battle ship. Firth, n. ( Geog .) Same as FRITH, q. v. Fir-tree, n. ( Bot .) See FIR. Fisc, ( fisk ,) n. [Lat. fisc us , a basket of wicker-work, a money-basket; Fr. fisc , exchequer.] ( Law . ) The name given among the Romans to the private treasury of the sovereign, in opposition to the ararium, or public treasury; but afterwards, when the sovereign power became absolute, the two terms came to be synonymous, and fisc us was applied generally to the property of the State. In Modern Law, on the continent of Europe, fisc us is applied to the public treasury, which is entitled to all fines, forfeited goods, goods without an owner, .; whence our term confiscation. The fisc us was entitled to many extensive privileges in civil as well as in criminal matters, and the term has come by degrees to be applied generally to the rights of the crown. In most of the German states, and in Spain, there is an officer termed fiscal , who represents the government before the courts of justice, corresponding to our attorney-general. Fiscal, a . Pertaining to the public treasury, or to the revenues of a state; as, fiscal measures. -n. A treasury. See Fisc.