Prime

1. The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or beauty; perfection.
2. A prime number. See under Prime, a.
3. First in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a prime quality of cloth.
4. An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal system; -- denoted by [']. See 2d Inch, n., 1.
5. That which is first in quantity; the most excellent portion; the best part.
6. The first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn; the spring.
7. First in rank, degree, dignity, authority, or importance; as, prime minister.
8. To mark with a prime mark.
9. Marked or distinguished by a mark (') called a prime mark.
10. Early; blooming; being in the first stage.
11. Lecherous; lustful; lewd.
12. 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.
13. To prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to post; to coach; as, to prime a witness; the boys are primed for mischief.
14. 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.
15. To trim or prune, as trees.
16. To be renewed, or as at first.
17. The first of the chief guards.
18. To lay the first color, coating, or preparation upon (a surface), as in painting; as, to prime a canvas, a wall.
19. To apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a primer to, as a metallic cartridge.
20. First in order of time; original; primeval; primitive; primary.
21. The morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical hour, succeeding to lauds.
22. To serve as priming for the charge of a gun.