Prime (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

adjective

of the first importance; demanding the fullest consideration: a prime requisite.
of the greatest relevance or significance: a prime example.
of the highest eminence or rank: the prime authority on Chaucer.
of the greatest commercial value:prime building lots.
first-rate: This ale is prime!
(of meat, especially of beef) noting or pertaining to the first grade or best quality: prime ribs of beef.
first in order of time, existence, or development; earliest; primitive.
basic; fundamental: the prime axioms of his philosophy.
(of any two or more numbers) having no common divisor except unity: The number 2 is prime to 9.

noun

the most flourishing stage or state.
the time of early manhood or womanhood: the prime of youth.
the period or state of greatest perfection or vigor of human life: a man in his prime.
the choicest or best part of anything.
(especially in the grading of U.S. beef) a grade, classification, or designation indicating the highest or most desirable quality.
the beginning or earliest stage of any period.
the spring of the year.
the first hour or period of the day, after sunrise.
prime rate.
the second of the seven canonical hours or the service for it, originally fixed for the first hour of the day.
Mathematics.

verb (used with object), primed, prim·ing.

to prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.
to supply (a firearm) with powder for communicating fire to a charge.
to lay a train of powder to (a charge, mine, etc.).
to pour or admit liquid into (a pump) to expel air and prepare for action.
to put fuel into (a carburetor) before starting an engine, in order to insure a sufficiently rich mixture at the start.
to cover (a surface) with a preparatory coat or color, as in painting.
to supply or equip with information, words, etc., for use: The politician was primed by his aides for the press conference.
to harvest the bottom leaves from (a tobacco plant).

verb (used without object), primed, prim·ing.

(of a boiler) to deliver or discharge steam containing an excessive amount of water.
to harvest the bottom leaves from a tobacco plant.

adjective

noun

the time when a thing is at its best
a period of power, vigour, etc, usually following youth (esp in the phrase the prime of life)
the beginning of something, such as the spring
maths short for prime number
a semantically indivisible element; minimal component of the sense of a word
music

the second of the seven canonical hours of the divine office, originally fixed for the first hour of the day, at sunrise
the first of eight basic positions from which a parry or attack can be made in fencing

verb

to prepare (something); make ready
to apply a primer, such as paint or size, to (a surface)
to fill (a pump) with its working fluid before starting, in order to improve the sealing of the pump elements and to expel air from it before starting
to increase the quantity of fuel in the float chamber of (a carburettor) in order to facilitate the starting of an engine
to insert a primer into (a gun, mine, charge, etc) preparatory to detonation or firing
(of a steam engine or boiler) to operate with or produce steam mixed with large amounts of water
to provide with facts, information, etc, beforehand; brief