1602. SHAKESPEARE, Othello, iii. 3. Were they as PRIME as goats, as hot as monkeys, as salt as wolves in pride.
2. (colloquial).—(1) Eager; more than ready. Whence (2) = of the first quality (esp. butchers’: as in PRIME joints, PRIME American, &c.); BANG-UP (q.v.).—GROSE (1785). Hence, verb. = to fortify, to invigorate, to inspire, bring to the height of a situation: with liquor, information, counsel.
1637. JONSON, The Sad Shepherd, i. 2. Rob. Had you good sport i’ your chase to-day? John. O PRIME!
1819. J. H. VAUX, Memoirs, s.v. … Any person who is found an easy dupe to the designs of the family is said to be a PRIME flat.
1815. T. MOORE, Tom Crib to Big Ben [Works (1854), 401]. Having conquered the PRIME one that milled us all round. Ibid. (1819), Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress … What madness could impel So rum a Flat to face so PRIME a Swell. Ibid. (183[?]), Grand Dinner, &c. [Works (1854), 575]. Joints of poetry—all of the PRIME.
1821. P. EGAN, Life in London, II. ii. Tom and Jerry have just dropped in,… quite PRIME for a lark.
1823. JOHN CAMPBELL, Hints for Oxford, 73. They [young Oxonians] form a determination when they sit down to table to have a row as soon as they are PRIMED, and often before they rise they commence the work of destruction on glasses and plates and decanters.
1823. BYRON, Don Juan, XI. 19. So PRIME, so swell, so nutty, and so knowing.
1827. BULWER-LYTTON, Pelham, lxxxiii. You are going to stall off the Daw’s baby IN PRIME TWIG.
1836. DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xxx. ‘Capital!’ said Mr. Benjamin Allen. ‘PRIME!’ ejaculated Mr. Bob Sawyer.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ii. 8, ‘The Black Mousquetaire.’
| For your thorough French Courtier, whenever the fit he ’s in, | |
| Thinks it’s PRIME fun to astonish a citizen. |
1854. WHYTE-MELVILLE, General Bounce, viii. PRIMED with such sage counsel, his lordship determined to lose no time in “opening the trenches.” Ibid., xii. A fat little man, PRIMED with port.
c. 1886. Music Hall Song, ‘They’re all very Fine and Large.’ They’re all very fine and large, they’re all very fresh and PRIME.
1887. W. E. HENLEY, Culture in the Slums.
| Was it not PRIME—I leave you all to guess | |
| How PRIME! to have a jude in love’s distress | |
| Come spooning round. |
1899. R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, ix. It’s PRIME, jest when you are goin’ off, and jest when you’re coming to.
