• | Donne (#) (pl. ) of Prima donna |
• | First in order of time; original; primeval; primitive;
primary. |
• | First in rank, degree, dignity, authority, or importance;
as, prime minister. |
• | First in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a
prime quality of cloth. |
• | Early; blooming; being in the first stage. |
• | Lecherous; lustful; lewd. |
• | Marked or distinguished by a mark (') called a prime mark. |
• | The first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or
opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn; the spring. |
• | The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or
beauty; perfection. |
• | That which is first in quantity; the most excellent portion;
the best part. |
• | The morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical
hour, succeeding to lauds. |
• | The first of the chief guards. |
• | 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. |
• | A prime number. See under Prime, a. |
• | An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal
system; -- denoted by [']. See 2d Inch, n., 1. |
• | To apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a
primer to, as a metallic cartridge. |
• | To lay the first color, coating, or preparation upon (a
surface), as in painting; as, to prime a canvas, a wall. |
• | To prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to post;
to coach; as, to prime a witness; the boys are primed for mischief. |
• | To trim or prune, as trees. |
• | To mark with a prime mark. |
• | To be renewed, or as at first. |
• | To serve as priming for the charge of a gun. |
• | 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. |