primrose 
With pint<l words thu gall thin proude weede [the 
brier], . . . 
Was I nut planted of thine owne hand, 
To be the prSnurou of all the land ; 
With ttowring bluMome* to furnish the prime? 
Spenter, Shep fal., February. 
4t. Figuratively, the first or choicest; the flower. 
Two noble Primtrotei of Niibllltie. 
Ateham, The Scholemaster, p. 66. 
.She Is the nride and primrote of the rest, 
Made by the Maker wife to be admired. 
Spenter, Colin Clout, 1. 660. 
5. In her., a quatrefoil used as a bearing. 6. 
A pale and somewhat greenish-yellow color. 
7. A coal-tar color used in dyeing, being the 
potassium ethyl salt of tetrabrom-Uuorescein. 
It is mostly used in silk-dyeing, producing pink- 
ish-yellow shades Bird's-eye primrose, Primula 
farinoM, a pretty plant with silvery leaves in small ro- 
settes, the flower-stalks 3 to 12 Inches high, bearing com- 
pact umbels of lilac-purple yellow -eyed flowers. It is wild 
northward In both hemispheres. Cape primrose, a plant 
of the genus Sfreptocarpw*. Chinese primrose, Primula 
,9iniMW,afamlllar house-plant Evening primrose. See 
(Knothera. Fairy primrose, Primula minima, a species 
native In the mountains of southern Europe, only an inch 
or BO high, but with flowers nearly an Inch broad. Hima- 
layan primrose, Primula SUdnmentii, abounding in wet 
places of the Himalayas at high altitudes, also cultivated. 
It is the tallest described species, the scape often 2 feet 
high, the corollas of the numerous sweet-scented flowers 
funnel-shaped, with the limb concave. Japanese prim- 
rose. Primula Japonica, one of the handsomest species, 
the flowers unfolding Ju successive whorls on the tall 
scape. Mistassinnie primrose. Primula Mutaxrinica, 
of northern North America, named from a Canadian lake : 
a low, pretty plant, the flowers from one to eight, flesh- 
colored. Night primrose. Same as evening primrote. 
Peerless primrose, the primrose-peerless. Scotch 
primrose, a variety of the bird's-eye primrose, Primula 
/arinooo, var. Scotica. 
H. a. 1. Of or belonging to a primrose; spe- 
cifically, resembling a primrose m color; pale- 
yellow. 
He had a buff waistcoat with coral buttons, a light coat, 
lavender trousers, white lean boots, and primrose kid 
gloves. 0. A. Sola, Dutch 1'lctures. (Latham.) 
2. Abounding witli primroses ; flowery; gay. 
Himself the primrow path of dalliance treads. 
Slink.. Hamlet, I. :;. 50. 
Primrose League. See league*. 
primrosed (prim'rozd), a. [(primrose + -eil*.~\ 
Covered or adorned with primroses. 
Not one of your broad, level, dusty, glaring causeways, 
but a zig-zag, up-and-down primrosed by-road. 
Savage, Reuben Medlicott, I. 1. (Dana.) 
primrose-peerless (prim'roz-pSr'les), w. A 
plant, Xarcissun biflorus. 
prirnrose-willow(prim'r6z-\vil'6), . See JIIK- 
xixa. 
primsie (prim'si), a. [< {trim + -xif, oquiv. to 
-V 1 .] Prim; demure; precise. [Scotch.] 
PrinaU Mallie. Buna, Halloween. 
Primula (prim'u-ljl), w. [NL.(Malpighi, 1675), 
< ML. jrrimitla, primrose (so called in allusion 
to its early blooming), fern, of L. priniiilns, first, 
dim. of prinniK, first: see prime. Cf. prime- 
role, primrose.] 1. A genus of gamopetalous 
plants, the primroses, type of the order Primu- 
laceee and the tribe Prl'mulex, characterized by 
a conspicuous salver-shaped corolla, with five 
opposite stamens borne on its long tube, and 
by a roundish five-valved and one-celled cap- 
sule, containing many peltate seeds. There are 
about 130 species, mainly mountain-dwellers of Europe 
4728 
leaves are all radical, obovate or roundish, entire or tooth- 
ed, and form a spreading tuft. The flowers are dimor- 
phous, some having a short style and stamens borne high 
up on the tube, others opposite In both respects. They 
are white, pink, purple, or yellow In color, grouped in 
bracted umbels in the true primrose, however, appearing 
as If on separate stalks. The common P. verit of Europe 
and northern Asia, elsewhere in gardens, with yellow or 
straw-colored flowers In early spring, has three varieties, 
often regarded as species.correspondiug to the names prim- 
row (P. eulyaru), cowtlip or patfe (P. verit), and oxlip (P. 
elatior). It la, however, generally believed that P. elatior 
is a good species, indigenous, though rare, in England, 
called Bardjield oxlip; and, according to Darwin, P. md- 
garii and P. veris are also distinct, while the common ox- 
lip is a hybrid between them. (See the above common 
names, and herb-peter (St. -Petrr'noort\ lady-key, petty m\d- 
len (under mullen\ and palsywort.) N umerous other spe- 
cies are beautiful and more or less cultivated. See auricu- 
la, bazirrt, bear'i-ear, dusty-niftier, French eouwfip (under 
cowslip), polyanthus, and primrose. 
2. [/. c.] Any plant of the genus Primula. 
Primulacese (prim-u-la'se-e), n.pl. [NL. (Ven- 
tenat, 1799), < Primula H 1 -acete.] A very dis- 
tinct order of gamopetalous herbs of the cohort 
Primulales, characterized by its five stamens 
opposite to the five lobes of the regular corolla, 
and the capsular ovary containing two or more 
ovules, a single style, and an undivided stigma ; 
the primrose family. It Includes about 315 species, 
classed under 4 tribes and 2f genera, natives of temper- 
ate regions and mainly alpine, rare in the southern hemi- 
sphere. They are herbs, growing usually from a peren- 
nial rootstock ; the few that occur in the tropics become 
there annuals, an inversion of the usual effect of the trop- 
ics. They bear undivided or rarely lobed leaves, either 
all radical, or alternate, opposite, or whorled ; and com- 
monly raccmed, umbeled, or long-stalked flowers. Very 
many of the most-prized flowers of cultivation belong to 
this family, as the primrose, cowslip, polyanthus, auricu- 
la, cyclamen, and soldanelle. For the best-known genera, 
see Primula (the type), Lysimachia. Cyclamen, Trientalit, 
Glaux, Coris, Samolua, SoldaneUa, Dodccatheon, and Uot- 
tonia. 
primulaceous (prim-u-la'shius), . Of or re- 
sembling the Primulaeex. 
Primulales (prim-u-la'lez), . pi. [NL. (Lind- 
ley, 1833), < Primula, q. v.] A cohort of gamo- 
petalous plants of the series Hetcromerse, dis- 
tinguished by a one-celled ovary with a central 
and basal placenta, and stamens opposite the 
regular corolla-lobes. It includes 3 orders, of which 
the' Jfyrrinrar, mainly tropical trees, and the Primulacea, 
herbs of temperate regions, are alike In their simple style 
and stigma, whereas the Plumbaginef? arc mainly maritime 
herbs, with five styles. 
Primuleae (pri-mu'lo-e), w. j>l. [NL. (Eudlich- 
er, 1836), < Primula + -ey."\ A tribe of plants 
of the order J'rimulaefte, characterized by the 
regular imbricated corolla-lobes, stamens on 
the corolla, superior ovary, and half-aimtropous 
ovules. It includes 12 genera, of which Pri- 
mula is the type. 
primulin (prim'u-lin), w. [< NL. Primula + 
-m 2 .] A crystallizable substance obtained 
from the root of the cowslip. 
primum frigidum (pri'mum frij'i-dum), [I 
primum, neut. otpAmtu, first; friyidum, iieut. 
~ frigulus, cold: see ]>rime una frigid.'] Pure 
cold: an elementary substance, according to 
l-lowehni; FUnt of I'rimnt.t t t:'ifnjn. 
and Asia, with 6 In the United States, 1 In extreme South 
America, and 1 In the mountains of Java. They are beau- 
tiful low-growing plant*, with perennial ruutitocks. The 
the doctrine of Parmenules. 
The flrst means of producing cohl is that which nature 
presenteth us withal : namely, the expiring of cold out of 
the Inward parts of the earth in winter, when the sun hath 
no power to overcome it, the earth being (as hath been 
noted by some) primum /riyidum. 
Bacon. Nat. Ili.-t., I. 69. 
The dispute which is tlie primum friyidum is very well 
known among naturalists ; some contending for the earth, 
others for water, others for the air, and some of the mod- 
erns for nitre, hut all seeming to agree that there is some 
body or other that is of Its own nature supremely cold, 
and by participation of which all other oodles obtain that 
quality. But. for my part, I think that before men had so 
hotly disputed which is the primum friyidum they would 
have done well to Inquire whether there be any such thing 
or no. /.'/* Experimental History of Cold, title xvil. 
primum mobile (pri'mum mob'i-le). [L.: pri- 
mum, neut. of primus, first; mobile, neut. of 
mobilis, movable: see prime and mobile^.] In 
the Ptolemaic system of astronomy, the tenth 
or outermost of the revolving spheres of the uni- 
verse, which was supposed to revolve from east 
to west in twenty-four hours, and to carry the 
others along with it in its motion; hence, any 
great or first source of motion. 
The motions of the greatest persons In a government 
ought to be as the motions of the planet* under primum 
juiflfilf, . . . carried swiftly by the highest motion, and 
softly in their own motion. 
Bacon, Seditions and Troubles. 
A star does not move more obediently from east to west 
than Bacon obeys, anil appropriates as his own, the mo- 
tion of his yrimitm mobile, the King. 
E. A. Abbott, Bacon, p. 249. 
primus (pri'mus), n.; pi. urimi (-nil). [L., first: 
see prime.] The first in dignity among the 
bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church. He 
1* chosen by the other bishops, presides at all their meet 
prince 
Ings, and has certain other privileges, but poatewes no 
metropolitan authority. 
primus inter pares (pri'mus in'ter pa'rez). 
[L.: 2'intus, first; inter, among; Mires, pi. of 
par. equal: see prime, inter?, and jjai'r 1 .] A 
Latin phrase, meaning ' first among equals.' 
primyt (pri'mi), a. [< prime + -yX] Early; 
blooming. [Bare.] 
A violet In the youth of primy nature. 
Shot., Hamlet, L 3. 7. 
prin 1 (prin), n. and r. A dialectal form of 
preen 1 . 
Wh:i will prin my sma' middle, 
VYi' the short prin and the lang .' 
Smet Willie and Fair Maitry (Child's Ballads, II. 334). 
prin 2 t (prin), a. [< OV.prin, var. otprim, thin, 
slender: see prim 1 .] Slender; thin. 
Hee looks as gaunt and prin as he that spent 
A tedious twelve years in an eager Lent. 
Fletcher, Poems, p. 140. (llnUiirrll.) 
prince (prins), n. [< ME. prince, pryncc = D. 
prins = MLG. prince, prinse = MHG. prime, G. 
prim= Sw. D&n.prinx, < OF. (and F.) prince = 
Pr.princep, prince, prinsi = Sp. Pg. It.princife, 
a prince ; < L. princeps (-tip-), a first or chief 
person, a chief, superior, leader, ruler, sover- 
eign, prince, prop, adj., first in time or order, < 
primus, prime, first, + capere, take, choose : see 
capable.] 1. A sovereign; a king; by exten- 
sion, a royal personage of either sex. 
As this noble Prince la endued with mercle, paclence, 
and moderation, so is she adoumed with slnguler beautle 
and chastitie. l-'il'i. Euphues and his England, p. 454. 
Such duty as the subject owes the prince. 
Shak., r. of the S., v. 2. 155. 
"No one thing," sighed Walslngham, "doth more prog- 
nosticate an alteration of this estate than that a prince 
of her Majesty's judgment should neglect . . . the stop, 
ping of so dangerous a gap." 
Motley, Hist. Netherlands, II. :;_".'. 
Some of the Mercian Kings were very powerful Prince*. 
E. A. Freeman, Old Eng. Hist., p. 39. 
2. The title of the ruler of a principality: as, 
the Prince of Waldeck; the former Princes of 
Orange. Few such principalities now exist In Europe ; 
they are either small In extent (as Montenegro and Mo- 
naco), or In certain relations snlx)rdlnate in name or real- 
ity to a suzerain (as Bulgaria), or to a central government 
(as Llppe, Waldeck, and the other principalities of the 
(ierman empire). 
3. A title of nobility in certain countries on 
the continent, superior to duke: as, Prince 
Bismarck ; Prince of Conde. There are, however, 
many exceptions in the relative standing of particular 
titles, owing to the fact that many princely designations 
are little more than courtesy titles, or to the circumstance 
that some princely titles are historically and intrinsically 
of comparatively small im portance, while some ducal titles, 
on the contrary, are of the highest, sometimes even of sov- 
ereign dignity. Prince is the translation of the chief 
Russian title of nobility (Imyaz). 
4. A courtesy title given to non-regnant mem- 
bers of royal families, and often confined to 
the younger sons of the sovereign : as, Prince 
Arthur (of Great Britain); Prince Henry (of 
Prussia); the eldest sous are usually called 
prince with a territorial title (as Prince of 
Wales, in Great Britain ; Prince of Naples, in 
Italy), crown prince (Greece), prince imperial 
(Austria, Germany, etc.), prince royal (Den- 
mark, Sweden, etc.), or duke with a territorial 
title (as Duke of Sparta, in Greece; Duke of 
Brabant, in Belgium). 
The empress and young princet of the blood of both 
sexes. Swift, Gulliver's Travels, I. '. 
Until he is created a peer, by the title of duke or other 
rank In the peerage, a member of the reigning family 
even the sovereign's own younger son though styled 
prince and royal highness, Is in law bat a commoner. 
Jf. and Q., 7th set., IV. 229. 
5. A courtesy title given in some relations to 
dukes, marquises, and earls in Great Britain. 
See the quotation. 
He [an earl, also a marquis] bean also the title, upon 
some occasions, of Most Noble and Puissant Prince. 
Burke, Peerage, Int., p. Ixxl. 
6. One who is preeminent in his class or pro- 
fession: as, a merchant prince; a prince of 
good fellows. 
Hit semed as he mygt 
Be prunce wlth-outen pere, 
In felde ther felle men fyjt 
Sir Gavayne and the Onm Knight (E. E. T. a), L 873. 
Ascleplus amongut the .ttirinr*. Demosthenes amongst 
the Athenians, .ttachlnes amongst the Khodians. Cicero 
amongst the Romanes, were not only skilful! In I (rations, 
but Princet of all other Ora tours. 
(fuerara. Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1577X p. 48. 
These mentioned by their names were prince* In their 
families. 1 Chron. tv. 38. 
Brave Trollus ! the prince of chivalry ! 
Shut., T. and C., 1. 2. 248. 
To use the words of the prince of teaming hereupon, only 
in shallow and small boats th. y glide over the face of the 
Vlrvillan sea. Peacham, Poetry. 
