- prime
- prime [prīm]adj.[ME < MFr < L primus, first < OL pri, before < IE base * per-, beyond > FAR, FIRST]1. first in time; original; primitive; primary2. first in rank or authority; chief [the prime minister]3. first in importance or value; principal; main [a prime advantage]4. first in quality; of the highest excellence [prime beef]5. from which others are derived; fundamental; basic6. Math.a) of or being a prime numberb) having no factor in common except 1 [9 and 16 are prime to each other]n.[ME < OE prim < L prima ( hora), first (hour): see PRIME the adj.]1.a) [often P-] R.C.Ch. a part of the Divine Office orig. assigned to the first hour of daylight (in the Liturgy of the Hours, both Lauds and Prime have been replaced by Morning Prayer)b) the first hour of the daylight, conventionally taken to begin about 6 a.m.c) the earliest part of something; beginning2.a) springtimeb) the springtime of life; youth3.a) the best, most vigorous, or most fully mature period or stage of a person or thing [a soprano in her prime]b) the best part of anythingc) the best of several or many; pick; cream4. a symbol (′) used5.a) to distinguish between different values of the same variableb) to distinguish a letter, number, or other character from another of the same kind, as A′c) for certain units of measure, as feet or minutes of arc6. Math. PRIME NUMBER7. Music UNISONvt.primed, priming1. to make ready; prepare [a team primed for a game]2. to prepare (a gun) for firing or (a charge) for exploding by providing with priming or a primer3.a) to get (a pump) into operation by pouring in water until the suction is establishedb) to get (a carburetor, etc.) into operation by adding extra fuel4. to undercoat, size, etc. (a surface) in preparation as for painting5. to provide (a person) beforehand with information, answers, etc.vi.1. to prime a person or thing2. to let a spray of water mix with the steam forced into the cylinder, as of a steam engineprimenessn.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.
