prime

1. The first hour of daylight; the first canonical hour.
2. The religious service appointed to this hour.
3. The early morning generally.
4. The earliest stage of something.
5. The most active, thriving, or successful stage or period.
6. The chief or best individual or part.
7. The first note or tone of a musical scale.
8. The first defensive position, with the sword hand held at head height, and the tip of the sword at head height.
9. A prime element of a mathematical structure, particularly a prime number.

   3 is a prime.

10. A four-card hand containing one card of each suit in the game of primero; the opposite of a flush in poker.
11. Six consecutive blocks, which prevent the opponent's pieces from passing.

    I'm threatening to build a prime here.

12. The symbol ′ used to indicate feet, minutes, derivation and other measures and mathematical operations.
13. 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.
14. An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal system.
15. The priming in a flintlock.
16. Contraction of prime lens, a film lens

1. First in importance, degree, or rank.

   Our prime concern here is to keep the community safe.

2. First in time, order, or sequence.

   Both the English and French governments established prime meridians in their capitals.

3. First in excellence, quality, or value.

   This is a prime location for a bookstore.

4. (lay) Having exactly two integral factors: itself and unity (1 in the case of integers).

   Thirteen is a prime number.

5. Such that if it divides a product, it divides one of the multiplicands.
6. Having its complement closed under multiplication: said only of ideals.
7. Marked or distinguished by the prime symbol.
8. Early; blooming; being in the first stage.
9. Lecherous, lewd, lustful.

1. To prepare a mechanism for its main work.

   You'll have to press this button twice to prime the fuel pump.

2. To apply a coat of primer paint to.

   I need to prime these handrails before we can apply the finish coat.

3. To be renewed.
4. To serve as priming for the charge of a gun.
5. (of a steam boiler) 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.
6. To apply priming to (a musket or cannon); to apply a primer to (a metallic cartridge).
7. To prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to coach.

   The boys are primed for mischief.

8. To trim or prune.

   to prime trees

9. To mark with a prime mark.

noun

An intermediate sprint within a race, usually offering a prize and/or points.