prīmus adj. sup. PRO-, the first, first: Primus sentio mala nostra, T.: primae litterae: primus Graecae civitatis in Thraciam introiit, N.: primus de mille fuisses, O.

—Plur m. as subst: in primis stetit, among the foremost, N.: in primis pugnantes, in the van, S.: Utque pedum primis infans vestigia plantis Institerat (i. e. ut primum), V.

—In time or place, first, fore, foremost: in primā provinciā, at the entrance of the province: sol, i. e. the rising sun, V.

—With quisque, the first possible, the very first: primo quoque tempore, at the very first opportunity: me tibi primum quidque concedente.

—As subst n., sing. and plur, the first part, beginning: quod bellum, si prima satis prospera fuissent, L.: utinam a primo ita tibi esset visum, from the first: equites in primo late ire iubet, in the van, S.: qui numerus in primo viget, iacet in extremo, first part.

—Fig., of rank or merit, first, chief, principal, excellent, eminent, distinguished, noble: evocat ad se Massiliā quindecim primos, Cs.: sui municipi facile primus: primis urbis placuisse, H.: iuvenum primi, V.: apud te primus, first in your favor, T.: otium atque divitiae, quae prima mortales putant, S.: primas partīs qui aget, plays the leading part, T.: si Allienus tibi primas in dicendo partes concesserit.

—Plur f. as subst. (only acc; sc. partīs), the first rank, lead, highest place: actioni primas dedisse Demosthenes dicitur, ascribed supreme importance: amoris erga me tibi primas defero, i. e. the first place among those who love me.

—Plur. abl. as subst., in the phrases, in primis, cum primis, among the first, with the foremost, eminently, chiefly, especially, principally, particularly: vir fortis in primis: oppidum in primis Siciliae clarum: homo in primis improbissimus: in primis . . . deinde, in the first place, S.: homo cum primis locuples.