Definitions of prime [ɪm]

Translate prime to

Definition of 'prime'

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

1. (adj.) prime
of the first importance:
a prime requisite.

2.  prime
of the greatest relevance or significance:
a prime example.

3.  prime
of the highest eminence or rank:
a prime authority on Chaucer.

4.  prime
of the greatest commercial value:
prime building lots.

5.  prime
first-rate.

6.  prime
(of meat) of the highest grade or best quality:
prime ribs of beef.

7.  prime
first in order of time, existence, or development.

8.  prime
basic; fundamental:
a prime axiom.

9.  prime
(of any two or more numbers) having no common divisor except unity:
The number 2 is prime to 9.

10. (n.) prime
the most flourishing stage or state.

11.  prime
the time of early manhood or womanhood:
the prime of youth.

12.  prime
the period of greatest vigor of human life:
a man in his prime.

13.  prime
the choicest or best part of anything.

14.  prime
the earliest stage of any period.

15.  prime
the spring of the year.

16.  prime
the hour following sunrise.

17.  prime
the second of the seven canonical hours or the service for it, orig. fixed for the first hour of the day.

18.  prime
Math.

19.  prime
one of the equal parts into which a unit is primarily divided.

20.  prime
the mark (′) indicating such a division:
a, a′.

21.  prime
Music.

22.  prime
(in a scale) the tonic or keynote.

23.  prime
any basic, indivisible unit used in linguistic analysis.

24. (v.t.) prime
to prepare for a particular purpose or operation.

25.  prime
to supply (a firearm) with powder for igniting a charge.

26.  prime
to pour or admit liquid into (a pump) to expel air and prepare for action.

27.  prime
to put fuel into (a carburetor) before starting an engine, in order to insure a sufficiently rich mixture at the start.

28.  prime
to cover (a surface) with an undercoat of paint or the like.

29.  prime
to supply with needed information, facts, etc.

30. (v.i.) prime
to harvest the bottom leaves from a tobacco plant.

31.  prime
to increase government expenditure in an effort to stimulate the economy.

32.  prime
to support or promote the operation or improvement of something.

Etymology: (bef. 1000; (adj.) ME (< OF prim) < L prīmusfirst (superl. corresponding to priorprior¹); (n.) in part der. of the adj., in part continuing ME prim(e) first canonical hour, OE prim < L prīma(hōra) first (hour))

Definition of 'prime'

Princeton's WordNet

1. (noun) prime, prime quantity
a number that has no factor but itself and 1

2. (noun) flower, prime, peak, heyday, bloom, blossom, efflorescence, flush
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity

3. (noun) prime
the second canonical hour; about 6 a.m.

4. (adj) prime, prime of life
the time of maturity when power and vigor are greatest

5. (adj) premier(a), prime(a)
first in rank or degree
"an architect of premier rank"; "the prime minister"

6. (adj) prime(a)
used of the first or originating agent
"prime mover"

7. (adj) choice, prime(a), prize, quality, select
of superior grade
"choice wines"; "prime beef"; "prize carnations"; "quality paper"; "select peaches"

8. (adj) prime
of or relating to or being an integer that cannot be factored into other integers
"prime number"

9. (verb) prime, meridian
being at the best stage of development
"our manhood's prime vigor"- Robert Browning

10. (verb) prime
insert a primer into (a gun, mine, or charge) preparatory to detonation or firing
"prime a cannon"; "prime a mine"

11. (verb) prime, ground, undercoat
cover with a primer; apply a primer to

12. (verb) prime
fill with priming liquid
"prime a car engine"

Definition of 'prime'

Kernerman English Learner’s Dictionary

1. (adjective) prime
main
our prime responsibilities; the prime suspect in the case

2. prime
of the highest quality
prime real estate

Definition of 'prime'

Webster Dictionary

1. (adj) prime
first in order of time; original; primeval; primitive; primary

2. (adj) prime
first in rank, degree, dignity, authority, or importance; as, prime minister

3. (adj) prime
first in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a prime quality of cloth

4. (adj) prime
early; blooming; being in the first stage

5. (adj) prime
lecherous; lustful; lewd

6. (adj) prime
marked or distinguished by a mark (') called a prime mark

7. (adj) prime
the morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical hour, succeeding to lauds

8. (adj) prime
the first of the chief guards

9. (adj) prime
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

10. (adj) prime
a prime number. See under Prime, a

11. (adj) prime
an inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal system; -- denoted by [']. See 2d Inch, n., 1

12. (adj) prime
to apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a primer to, as a metallic cartridge

13. (adj) prime
to lay the first color, coating, or preparation upon (a surface), as in painting; as, to prime a canvas, a wall

14. (adj) prime
to prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to post; to coach; as, to prime a witness; the boys are primed for mischief

15. (adj) prime
to trim or prune, as trees

16. (adj) prime
to mark with a prime mark

17. (noun) prime
the first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn; the spring

18. (noun) prime
the spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or beauty; perfection

19. (noun) prime
that which is first in quantity; the most excellent portion; the best part

20. (verb) prime
to be renewed, or as at first

21. (verb) prime
to serve as priming for the charge of a gun

22. (verb) prime
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

Translation of 'prime'

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

Sense: first or most important the prime minister; a matter of prime importance.
Afrikaans: groot	Arabic: اوَّل، أهَم، رَئيسي	Bulgarian: първоначален
Brazilian: primeiro	Czech: první; nejdůležitější	German: wichtigst
Danish: vigtigst; første-; højest	Greek: πρώτος, πρώτιστος, πρωταρ	Spanish: primer, primero
Estonian: pea-, esmane	Farsi: اولیه؛ اصلی	Finnish: pää-
French: premier	Hebrew: עִיקָרִי	Hindi: मुख्य, प्रधान
Hungarian: első(rendű)	Indonesian: pertama, utama	Icelandic: megin-, aðal-
Italian: primo, primario	Japanese: 第一の	Korean: 가장 중요한
Lithuanian: pirmutinis, svarbiausias	Latvian: pirmais; galvenais	Malay: perdana; utama
Dutch: eerst	Norwegian: hoved-, viktigst, primær	Polish: pierwszy, pierwszorzędny
Persian: اولیه؛ اصلی	Pashto: لومړنى،اصلي	Portuguese: primeiro
Romanian: prim	Russian: первый, главный	Slovak: prvý; najdôležitejší
Slovenian: prvi	Serbian: glavni	Swedish: främsta, viktigast, huvud
Thai: ที่มาลำดับแรก	Turkish: asıl, esas	Taiwanese: 重要的
Ukrainian: головний	Urdu: اعلي، اعظم	Vietnamese: chủ yếu; hàng đầu
Chinese: 重要的
Get even more *translations for prime...*