Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Prime \Prime\, n.
   1. The first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or
      opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn;
      the spring. --Chaucer.

            In the very prime of the world.       --Hooker.

            Hope waits upon the flowery prime.    --Waller.

   2. The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength,
      or beauty; perfection. ``Cut off in their prime.''
      --Eustace. ``The prime of youth.'' --Dryden.

   3. That which is first in quantity; the most excellent
      portion; the best part.

            Give him always of the prime.         --Swift.

   4. [F. prime, LL. prima (sc. hora). See {Prime}, a.] The
      morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical
      hour, succeeding to lauds.

            Early and late it rung, at evening and at prime.
                                                  --Spenser.

   Note: Originally, prime denoted the first quarter of the
         artificial day, reckoned from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m.
         Afterwards, it denoted the end of the first quarter,
         that is, 9 a. m. Specifically, it denoted the first
         canonical hour, as now. Chaucer uses it in all these
         senses, and also in the sense of def. 1, above.

               They sleep till that it was pryme large.
                                                  --Chaucer.

   5. (Fencing) The first of the chief guards.

   6. (Chem.) 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.
      [Obs. or Archaic]

   7. (Arith.) A prime number. See under {Prime}, a.

   8. An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal
      system; -- denoted by [']. See 2d {Inch}, n., 1.

   {Prime of the moon}, the new moon at its first appearance.