first raten.adj.adv.
/ˌfəːs(t) ˈreɪt/, U.S. /ˌfərs(t) ˈreɪt/ A. n.
1. of (the) first rate.
a. Of the highest of the rates (see rate n.1 12b) by which warships are distinguished according to size and equipment. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [adjective] > first-rate
of first rate1650
capital1654
first rate1671
1650 W. Beech View of Englands Present Distempers Ep. to Rdr. A rich and plentifull Island, the Gallant ship (a ship of the first rate in Europe) the Common-Wealth of England cumbred now as well with tough and powder to preserve her from Water and Pyrats, as fraught with Riches for the Merchants and Islanders.
1666 London Gaz. No. 65/2 Twelve new Ships, all of the first Rate.
1776 N. Brit. Intelligencer 15 May 221/2 A little above Halifax there is a fine bason, in which upwards of 100 sail of men of war of the first rate can lie at anchor.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality ii, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. II. 47 Ere Folly..cut down her vessels of the first rate.
1866 Jrnl. Stat. Soc. London 29 40 The total annual cost of a vessel of war of the first rate is therefore 612,736 frs., or 20,635l.
1997 R. Woodman Hist. of Ship (2005) vi. 98 In the ‘Establishment of 1780’, warships carrying 100 guns were said to be of the First Rate.
b. In extended use: of the highest class or degree of excellence. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1650 W. Beech View of Englands Present Distempers 71 He hath made you Magistrates, and Magistrates of the first-rate in Europe, and can you beare the sword in vain?
1665 G. Mackenzie Moral Ess. 26 All these Heroes or Grandees who have governed Kingdoms, or were Favourites of the first rate to such as did govern them.
1697 J. Vanbrugh Relapse i. 11 Now has he ruin'd his Estate to buy a Title, that he may be a Fool of the First Rate.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones I. iii. iii. 166 His natural Parts were not of the first Rate . View more context for this quotation
1810 Sporting Mag. 36 230 He having struggled hard with Crib and other boxers of first-rate.
1822 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Apr. 406/1 The Lady Maria de Dolores chid him openly for coming so late, and two hundred and fifty eyes of the first rate, blue, brown, and black, thanked him for coming at all.
1954 J. Carswell Old Cause iii. 51 He had served twenty-three years, nearly a quarter of a century, in the Commons. Few politicians of the first rate before him had served longer.
2.
a. Nautical. A warship of the first rate; esp. a three-decker carrying 74 to 120 guns. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [noun] > class of war vessels > vessel of a certain class > specific
first rate1659
third-rate1666
second-rate1679
five-rater1887
1659 D. Pell Πελαγος 537 Is not the Commonwealth of England a great first rate?..(our Nation is but an Island and stands in the Sea, and so may very well bee resembled to a ship).
1662 S. Pepys Diary 11 July (1970) III. 128 The Royal James..whether she should be a first-rate.
1694 P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais Pantagruel's Voy.: 4th Bk. Wks. iv. lxii. 246 The biggest First Rate.
1790 R. Beatson Naval & Mil. Mem. I. 72 She was larger than any of our first rates.
1825 J. Bentham Rationale Reward 76 The command of a first-rate is accepted by those only who cannot obtain a frigate.
1878 R. Browning Two Poets of Croisic in La Saisiaz & Two Poets of Croisic 154 Forced to put about the first-rate.
1911 Mariner′s Mirror 1 19 In Portsmouth Harbour the three-decker first-rate Victory still flies the admiral′s flag.
1967 K. Bourne Brit. & Balance of Power N. Amer. i. i. 29 To match the American ships' armament they immediately ordered the construction or rebuilding of ten first-rates.
2008 G. Fremont-Barnes Victory vs Redoutable 21 A first rate carried 100 to 120 guns, with the weight of both broadsides totalling approximately 2,500lb of iron shot.
b. In extended use: a person or thing of the highest class or rank. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
1681 J. Oldham tr. Horace Art of Poetry in Some New Pieces never Publisht 34 Poets have been held a sacred name, And plac'd with first Rates in the Lists of Fame.
1706 G. Farquhar Recruiting Officer iii. ii. 35 The Frigot [a woman] is call'd the Melinda, a first Rate I can assure you.
1781 W. Cowper Let. 22 July (1979) I. 499 Our great wheel-barrow which may be called a first rate in its kind, conveyed all our stores.
1796 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1956) I. 231 We..visited Oakover, a seat famous for a few first-rates of Raphael & Titian.
1828 I. D'Israeli Comm. Life Charles I II. xi. 274 In the House, these leaders of party were both firstrates.
1867 Atlantic Monthly May 594/1 But these are all first-class characters,—your first-rates, of whom one is naturally disposed to think well because they are first-rates.
2008 M. D. Paley Samuel Taylor Coleridge & Fine Arts i. 1 He doesn't tell Poole whether he actually saw the paintings, and the quiet vale has the same weight in the sentence as the supposed first-rates.
B. adj. Usually with hyphen.
1. Of a warship: of the first rate. Formerly also: relating to a warship of the first rate. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [adjective] > first-rate
of first rate1650
capital1654
first rate1671
1671 E. Chamberlayne 2nd Pt. Present State of Eng. (ed. 2) 169 (table) A List..of all the Ships, Frigats, and Vessels of his Majestie's Royal Navy... First Rate Ships.
1673 E. Ravenscroft Careless Lovers Epil. Those Murdering Playes, the Stage's Men of War, Drive all before 'um, like an English Fleet..Their mighty First-Rate Strength so great appears.
1729 B. Mandeville Fable Bees ii. iii. 149 A First-Rate Man of War.
1791 World 27 Oct. A new first-rate ship of the line.
1847 Niles' Reg. 13 Nov. 165/2 A ship canal wide and deep enough to float a first-rate man-of-war.
1908 Decisions Comptroller Treasury 14 577 The Auditor disallowed the payment for the reason that the complement of the Brooklyn, the only first-rate ship, was only 98 men.
1991 Ships Monthly Nov. 14/1 HMS Victory was launched in Chatham in 1765 as a first rate battleship of 102 guns.
2. Of the highest class or degree of excellence.In later use sometimes overlapping with sense B. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [adjective]
highestOE
bestOE
firstlOE
greatest?c1225
of the besta1350
premiera1500
paramount1530
supremec1550
supreme1571
primer1589
top1647
nulli secundus1742
bestest1751
first class1819
beatemest1831
par excellence1839
première1844
first rate1853
beatenest1860
blue ribbon1860
optimum1885
optimal1890
class A1906
all-star1908
grade A1911
five-star1931
mostest1936
tip-topmost1937
the end1950
the most1953
1674 J. D. Mall Prol. sig. A4 We know that none, beside a first rate Wit, Can please the grand Inhabiters o'th Pit.
a1681 J. Lacy Sr. Hercules Buffoon (1684) ii. iv There are your first, second, third, fourth, and fifth-rate wits too.
1732 G. Berkeley Alciphron I. i. xi. 38 I never saw a first-rate Picture in my Life.
1772 D. Garrick Let. 14 Mar. (1963) II. 792 We cannot open our Doors but to first rate capital performers.
1853 Parl. Deb. 3rd Ser. 127 1169 The question [is] one..of first-rate importance.
1888 M. E. Grant Duff Polit. Surv. 5 As long as France remained a first-rate power.
1931 R. D. Bowden In Def. Tomorrow v. 149 Today there is scarcely a first rate institution of learning in the land which is not congested almost to suffocation.
1954 B. North & R. North tr. M. Duverger Polit. Parties ii. i. 273 After 1935 the army played a part of first-rate importance in the party Congresses at Nuremberg.
2000 Wine May 35/4 Varieties such as Godello..from Galicia have shown that Spain can produce first rate white wines.
3. As an emphatic expression of praise or approval: extremely good, excellent.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]
faireOE
bremea1000
goodlyOE
goodfulc1275
noblec1300
pricec1300
specialc1325
gentlec1330
fine?c1335
singulara1340
thrivena1350
thriven and throa1350
gaya1375
properc1380
before-passinga1382
daintiful1393
principala1398
gradelya1400
burlyc1400
daintyc1400
thrivingc1400
voundec1400
virtuousc1425
hathelc1440
curiousc1475
singlerc1500
beautiful1502
rare?a1534
gallant1539
eximious1547
jolly1548
egregious?c1550
jellyc1560
goodlike1562
brawc1565
of worth1576
brave?1577
surprising1580
finger-licking1584
admirablea1586
excellinga1586
ambrosial1598
sublimated1603
excellent1604
valiant1604
fabulous1609
pure1609
starryc1610
topgallant1613
lovely1614
soaringa1616
twanging1616
preclarent1623
primea1637
prestantious1638
splendid1644
sterling1647
licking1648
spankinga1666
rattling1690
tearing1693
famous1695
capital1713
yrare1737
pure and —1742
daisy1757
immense1762
elegant1764
super-extra1774
trimming1778
grand1781
gallows1789
budgeree1793
crack1793
dandy1794
first rate1799
smick-smack1802
severe1805
neat1806
swell1810
stamming1814
divine1818
great1818
slap-up1823
slapping1825
high-grade1826
supernacular1828
heavenly1831
jam-up1832
slick1833
rip-roaring1834
boss1836
lummy1838
flash1840
slap1840
tall1840
high-graded1841
awful1843
way up1843
exalting1844
hot1845
ripsnorting1846
clipping1848
stupendous1848
stunning1849
raving1850
shrewd1851
jammy1853
slashing1854
rip-staving1856
ripping1858
screaming1859
up to dick1863
nifty1865
premier cru1866
slap-bang1866
clinking1868
marvellous1868
rorty1868
terrific1871
spiffing1872
all wool and a yard wide1882
gorgeous1883
nailing1883
stellar1883
gaudy1884
fizzing1885
réussi1885
ding-dong1887
jim-dandy1888
extra-special1889
yum-yum1890
out of sight1891
outasight1893
smooth1893
corking1895
large1895
super1895
hot dog1896
to die for1898
yummy1899
deevy1900
peachy1900
hi1901
v.g.1901
v.h.c.1901
divvy1903
doozy1903
game ball1905
goodo1905
bosker1906
crackerjack1910
smashinga1911
jake1914
keen1914
posh1914
bobby-dazzling1915
juicy1916
pie on1916
jakeloo1919
snodger1919
whizz-bang1920
wicked1920
four-star1921
wow1921
Rolls-Royce1922
whizz-bang1922
wizard1922
barry1923
nummy1923
ripe1923
shrieking1926
crazy1927
righteous1930
marvy1932
cool1933
plenty1933
brahmaa1935
smoking1934
solid1935
mellow1936
groovy1937
tough1937
bottler1938
fantastic1938
readyc1938
ridge1938
super-duper1938
extraordinaire1940
rumpty1940
sharp1940
dodger1941
grouse1941
perfecto1941
pipperoo1945
real gone1946
bosting1947
supersonic1947
whizzo1948
neato1951
peachy-keen1951
ridgey-dite1953
ridgy-didge1953
top1953
whizzing1953
badass1955
wild1955
belting1956
magic1956
bitching1957
swinging1958
ridiculous1959
a treat1959
fab1961
bad-assed1962
uptight1962
diggish1963
cracker1964
marv1964
radical1964
bakgat1965
unreal1965
pearly1966
together1968
safe1970
bad1971
brilliant1971
fabby1971
schmick1972
butt-kicking1973
ripper1973
Tiffany1973
bodacious1976
rad1976
kif1978
awesome1979
death1979
killer1979
fly1980
shiok1980
stonking1980
brill1981
dope1981
to die1982
mint1982
epic1983
kicking1983
fabbo1984
mega1985
ill1986
posho1989
pukka1991
lovely jubbly1992
awesomesauce2001
nang2002
bess2006
amazeballs2009
boasty2009
daebak2009
beaut2013
1799 R. Southey Let. 5 Jan. in C. C. Southey Life & Corr. R. Southey (1850) II. vi. 19 Davy, the Pneumatic Institute experimentalist, is a first-rate man.
1803 M. Wilmot Let. 11 June in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot Russ. Jrnls. (1934) i. 14 She is a most Elegant young Woman, and her Character as well as her father's is first rate.
1827 L. T. Rede Road to Stage 16 The salary is generally first-rate—at all events next to that of the leading man.
1879 F. W. Robinson Coward Conscience ii. ix ‘Miss Hilderbrandt is first-rate, and no mistake.’
1915 H. Rosher Let. 28 July in In Royal Navy Air Service (1916) 119 Had a first-rate crossing, and was met by one of the Rolls at Boulogne.
1974 A. Lurie War between Tates (1977) x. 206 The subject of this conversation was, whether it is worth doing anything after you realize you will never be first-rate at it.
2008 D. Smythe Colossal Mistakes Home Sellers Make 93 Fresh flowers or plants smell nice and look first-rate.
2011 Independent 9 May (Viewspaper section) 6/6 All three employees have been first-rate.
4. colloquial (originally U.S.). In excellent health, quite well. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > [adjective] > of health: good > healthy
wholeeOE
isoundOE
i-sundfulc1000
ferec1175
soundc1175
fish-wholea1225
forthlyc1230
steadfasta1300
wella1300
safec1300
tidya1325
halec1330
quartc1330
well-faringc1330
well-tempered1340
well-disposeda1398
wealyc1400
furnished1473
mighty?a1475
quartful?c1475
good1527
wholesomea1533
crank1548
healthful1550
healthy1552
hearty1552
healthsome1563
well-affected?1563
disposed1575
as sound as a bell1576
firm1577
well-conditioned1580
sound1605
unvaletudinary1650
all right1652
valid1652
as sound as a (alsoany) roach1655
fair-like1663
hoddy1664
wanton1674
stout?1697
trig1704
well-hained1722
sprack1747
caller1754
sane1755
finely1763
bobbish1780
cleverly1784
right1787
smart1788
fine1791
eucratic1795
nobbling1825
as right as a trivet1835
first rate1841
in fine, good, high, etc., feather1844
gay1855
sprackish1882
game ball1905
abled1946
well-toned1952
a hundred per cent1960
oke1960
1841 Vermont Watchman 17 May 1/4 Some say we feel bad. Some, we feel better, and some say we feel first rate.
1841 A. M. Maxwell Run through U.S. I. 82 ‘Well, my fine chap, how d'ye find yourself?’..‘First-rate’.
1857 J. D. Borthwick Three Years in Calif. xii. 211 As if you really wanted to know the state of their health, they [Indians] invariably answer ‘fuss-rate’.
1880 W. D. Howells Undiscovered Country iv. 79 I want to go away to-morrow feeling first-rate.
1914 J. Conrad Chance ii. i. 244 The old lady's first-rate, sir, thank you.
C. adv.
Excellently, very well. Now rare (nonstandard).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adverb]
fairlyOE
goodlyc1275
finec1330
properlyc1390
daintily?a1400
thrivinglya1400
goodlily?1457
excellent1483
excellently1527
excellently1529
curiously1548
jollilyc1563
admirably1570
beautifully1570
singularly1576
bravelyc1600
famouslya1616
manlya1616
primely1622
prime1648
eximiously1650
topping1683
egregiously1693
purely1695
trimmingly1719
toppinglya1739
surprisingly1749
capitally1750
brawly1796
jellily18..
stammingly1814
divinely1822
stunningly1823
rippingly1828
jam up1835
out of sight1835
first-rately1843
first rate1844
like a charm1845
stunning1851
marvellously1859
magnificently1868
first class1871
splendidly1883
sterlingly1883
tip-top1888
like one o'clock1901
deevily1905
goodo1907
dandy1908
bonzer1914
great1916
juicily1916
corkingly1917
champion1925
unbeatably1928
snodger1946
beaut1953
smashingly1956
groovily1970
awesome1984
1844 W. T. Thompson Major Jones's Courtship (ed. 2) xxii. 168 The young gentlemen commenced ther speeches, and..Mary liked 'em all first rate.
1861 Times 25 May 9/4 Mr. Miller and Caffyn bowled first-rate.
1884 D. Pae Eustace 15 ‘Dod, sir, my claes fit ye first-rate.’
1904 St. Nicholas July 793/2 You have chosen an excellent piece of ground, and your squash is doing first-rate.
Derivatives
first-ˈrately adv. now rare
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adverb]
fairlyOE
goodlyc1275
finec1330
properlyc1390
daintily?a1400
thrivinglya1400
goodlily?1457
excellent1483
excellently1527
excellently1529
curiously1548
jollilyc1563
admirably1570
beautifully1570
singularly1576
bravelyc1600
famouslya1616
manlya1616
primely1622
prime1648
eximiously1650
topping1683
egregiously1693
purely1695
trimmingly1719
toppinglya1739
surprisingly1749
capitally1750
brawly1796
jellily18..
stammingly1814
divinely1822
stunningly1823
rippingly1828
jam up1835
out of sight1835
first-rately1843
first rate1844
like a charm1845
stunning1851
marvellously1859
magnificently1868
first class1871
splendidly1883
sterlingly1883
tip-top1888
like one o'clock1901
deevily1905
goodo1907
dandy1908
bonzer1914
great1916
juicily1916
corkingly1917
champion1925
unbeatably1928
snodger1946
beaut1953
smashingly1956
groovily1970
awesome1984
1843 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 54 713 Of all instruments the violin, first-rately played, is the most..heavenly.
1867 Land we Love June 133/2 In the large cities, like Seville and along the main lines of travel, the inns are tolerably well provided—some of them first-rately.
1935 E. H. Warmington tr. Naevius in Remains Old Lat. II 75 ‘Speared’ is a first-rately fine play!
first-ˈrateness n. the state of being first-rate, first-rate quality.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > quality of being first-rate
first-rateness1842
1842 F. Trollope Barnabys in Amer. in New Monthly Mag. Sept. 26 The various words and phrases which had reached her since her arrival at New Orleans, relative to the first-rateness of standing of her already well-secured friend.
1882 Pall Mall Gaz. 19 June 5/1 The note of first-rateness, of permanence, is hardly here.
1964 P. Gunn Vernon Lee x. 139 There is a great second-rate element in her first-rateness.
2009 W. V. Spanos Legacy Edward W. Said vi. 199 Edward..wary of Columbia's penchant for determining ‘first rateness’ by the candidate's institutional pedigree.
first-ˈrater n. a person who or thing which is first-rate.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
c1760 R. Wall Diss. Breeding Horses 39 There were not in England, before racing became in vogue, either horses or mares, within two distances of those we now call first-raters.
1806 Sporting Mag. 27 243 Who may be deservedly titled first raters in their profession.
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xl. 437 ‘He must be a first-rater,’ said Sam.
1881 Harper's Mag. Sept. 583/1 Didn't I tell you he was a first-rater?
1939 M. Lerner Ideas are Weapons iii. iii. 312 Whatever he was, he was a first-rater.
2008 D. Wood Around World in 80 Rounds iv. 48 The course was another first-rater, but Martin handled its difficulty with ease.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.adv.1650