prime

& 8. [ Fr.prime the first hour of the day, from Lat. prima ( hora ) = the first (hour); primus first; Sp. & Ital. primo.] A. As adjective : IMG:content-1524.png:[blocks in formation] Arith.: A number or quantity is prime when it "The prime man of the state." Shakesp.: Henry VIII., iii. 2. 3. First in excellence, value, or importance. "The season, prime for sweetest scents and airs." Milton: P. L., ix. 200. 4. Capital, excellent. ( Slang .) ""All fun, ain't it?' 'Prime!' said the young gentleman."-Dickens: Pickwick , ch. xl. *5. Early, blooming; being in the first stage. ( Milton : P. L. , xi. 245.) *6. Ready, eager; hence, lustful, lecherous, lewd. (Shakesp.: Othello , iii. 3.) B. As substantive: I. Ordinary Language: *1. The first or earliest stage or beginning of any thing. ( Milton : P. L., v. 295.) *2. Hence, the first opening of day; the dawn, the morning. "That sweet hour of prime." -Milton: P. L., v. 170. *3. The spring of the year. ( Waller : To Lady Lucy Sidney .) 4. The spring of life; youth in full health, strength, and beauty. "The far greater part had been cut off in their prime ." -Eustace : Italy , vol. i., ch. xi. 5. Hence, a state of the highest perfection; the highest or most perfect state or condition of any thing. 6. The best part of anything; that which is of the first quality. "Give him always of the prime." -Swift: Instructions to Servants . *7. Persons of the first or highest rank. The place where he before had sat Among the prime ." Milton: P. R. , 1. 413. *8. The same as PRIMERO (q. v.). 9. The footsteps of a deer. II. Technically : 1. Cards: A term at primero. 2. Fencing : The first of the chief guards. 3. Music : (1) The tonic or generator; (2) the lower of any two notes forming an interval; (3) the first partial tone. 4. Print.: A mark over a reference letter ( a " , b', .) to distinguish it from letters ( a , b , .) not so marked. 5. Roman Ritual : The first of the canonical hours, succeeding to lauds. "The seuent day of Juny, Whitson euen that tyme, Died that lady, biteux vndron and prime." R. Brunne, p. 243. (1) Prime and ultimate ratio : [RATIO.] (2) Prime of the moon: The new moon when it first appears after the change. *prime cock-boy, subst . A freshman, a novice. ( Eng .) quantify except 1. Two numbers or quantities are prime with respect to each other, when they do not admit of any common divisor except 1. *prime-staff, s. A clog-almanac (q.v.). *prime-tide, s . Spring. IMG:content-1525.png:[blocks in formation] 2. Excellently, capitally.