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The whole number of copies of a work printed and published at one time; as, the first edition was soon sold.

Eldest; firstborn. Blackstone.

al hour. Keble. Elder hand (Card Playing), the hand playing, or having the right to play, first. Hoyle.

Born or living first, or before the others, as a son, daughter, brother, etc.; first in origin. See Elder. "My lady's eldest son." Shak. Their eldest historians are of suspected credit. Bp. Stillingfleet. Eldest hand (Card Playing), the player on the dealer's left hand. R. A. Proctor.

or passing by election; as, an elective study; an elective office. Kings of Rome were at first elective; . . . for such are the conditions of an elective kingdom. Dryden. Elective affinity or attraction (Chem.), a tendency to unite with certain things; chemism.

To compound of elements or first principles. [Obs.] "[Love] being elemented too." Donne.

Pertaining to the elements, first principles, and primary ingredients, or to the four supposed elements of the material world; as, elemental air. "Elemental strife." Pope.

Pertaining to, or treating of, the elements, rudiments, or first principles of anything; initial; rudimental; introductory; as, an elementary treatise.

Instruction in the elements or first principles. [R.]

The first rudiments of an organism, whether animal or plant; as:

o view; sudden uprisal or appearance. The white color of all refracted light, at its very first emergence . . . is compounded of various colors. Sir I. Newton. When from the deep thy bright emergence sprung. H. Brooke.

One of the natives of France who were opposed to the first Revolution, and who left their country in consequence.

That degree of softness in a body beginning to melt which alters its shape; the first or lowest degree of fusibility.

of the taking of an adverse pawn which makes a first move of two squares by a pawn already so advanced as to threaten the first of these squares. The pawn which takes en passant is advanced to the threatened square.

s. Shak. Perception and judgment, employed in the investigation of all truth, have in the first place to encounter with particulars. Tatham.

scourse; put an end to pain; -- opposed to Ant: beginning, when used of anything having a first part. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. Eccl. vii. 8.

ses, affection. "The great endearments of prudent and temperate speech." Jer. Taylor. Her first endearments twining round the soul. Thomson.

or some multiple of three, parts, and their embryos have but a single cotyledon, with the first leaves alternate. The endogens constitute one of the great primary classes of plants, and included all palms, true lilies, grasses, rushes, orchids, the banana, pineapple, etc. See Exogen.

r vigor; to act in producing an effect. Of all men it is true that they feel and energize first, they reflect and judge afterwards. J. C. Shairp.

To illumine; to enlighten. [R.] Which from the first has shone on ages past, Enlights the present, and shall warm the last. Pope.