| Prime |
a. |
Divisible by no number except itself or unity; as, 7 is a prime number. |
| Prime |
a. |
Having no common factor;
used with to; as, 12 is prime to 25. |
| Prime |
a. |
First in order of time; original; primeval; primitive; primary. |
| Prime |
a. |
First in rank, degree, dignity, authority, or importance; as, prime minister. |
| Prime |
a. |
First in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a prime quality of cloth. |
| Prime |
a. |
Early; blooming; being in the first stage. |
| Prime |
a. |
Lecherous; lustful; lewd. |
| Prime |
a. |
Marked or distinguished by a mark (') called a prime mark. |
| Prime |
n. |
The first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn; the spring. |
| Prime |
n. |
The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or beauty; perfection. |
| Prime |
n. |
That which is first in quantity; the most excellent portion; the best part. |
| Prime |
a. |
The morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical hour, succeeding to lauds. |
| Prime |
a. |
The first of the chief guards. |
| Prime |
a. |
Any number expressing the combining weight or equivalent of any particular element;
so called because these numbers were respectively reduced to their lowest relative terms on the fixed standard of hydrogen as 1. |
| Prime |
a. |
A prime number. See under Prime, a. |
| Prime |
a. |
An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal system;
denoted by [']. See 2d Inch, n., 1. |
| Prime |
a. |
To apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a primer to, as a metallic cartridge. |
| Prime |
a. |
To lay the first color, coating, or preparation upon (a surface), as in painting; as, to prime a canvas, a wall. |
| Prime |
a. |
To prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to post; to coach; as, to prime a witness; the boys are primed for mischief. |
| Prime |
a. |
To trim or prune, as trees. |
| Prime |
a. |
To mark with a prime mark. |
| Prime |
v. i. |
To be renewed, or as at first. |
| Prime |
v. i. |
To serve as priming for the charge of a gun. |
| Prime |
v. i. |
To work so that foaming occurs from too violent ebullition, which causes water to become mixed with, and be carried along with, the steam that is formed;
said of a steam boiler. |
| Prime (#) Donne (#) |
pl. |
of Prima donna |
| Primed |
imp. & p. p. |
of Prime |
| Primely |
adv. |
At first; primarily. |
| Primely |
adv. |
In a prime manner; excellently. |
| Primeness |
n. |
The quality or state of being first. |
| Primeness |
n. |
The quality or state of being prime, or excellent. |
| Primer |
n. |
One who, or that which, primes |
| Primer |
n. |
an instrument or device for priming; esp., a cap, tube, or water containing percussion powder or other compound for igniting a charge of gunpowder. |
| Primer |
a. |
First; original; primary. |
| Primer |
n. |
Originally, a small prayer book for church service, containing the little office of the Virgin Mary; also, a work of elementary religious instruction. |
| Primer |
n. |
A small elementary book for teaching children to read; a reading or spelling book for a beginner. |
| Primer |
n. |
A kind of type, of which there are two species; one, called long primer, intermediate in size between bourgeois and small pica [see Long primer]; the other, called great primer, larger than pica. |
| Primero |
n. |
A game at cards, now unknown. |
| Primerole |
n. |
See Primrose. |
| Primeval |
a. |
Belonging to the first ages; pristine; original; primitive; primary; as, the primeval innocence of man. |
| Primevally |
adv. |
In a primeval manner; in or from the earliest times; originally. |
| Primevous |
a. |
Primeval. |
