† firsteradj.
Obsolete.
Earlier; former, first. In later use English regional (northern).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adjective]
ererc888
fernOE
oldOE
oldOE
formerc1160
ratherc1330
before-goingc1384
formerc1384
forenexta1400
formea1400
while1399
antecedentc1400
precedentc1400
anteceding?a1425
late1446
whilom1452
preceding?a1475
forne1485
fore1490
heretofore1491
foregoing1530
toforegoing1532
further1557
firster1571
then1584
elder1594
quondam1598
forehand1600
previant1601
preallable1603
prior1607
anterior1608
previal1613
once1620
previous1621
predecessivea1627
antecedaneous?1631
preventive1641
prior1641
precedaneous1645
preventional1649
antegredient1652
senior1655
prevenient1656
precedential1661
antecedental1763
past-gone1784
antevenient1800
aforetime1835
one-time1850
onewhile1882
foretime1894
erstwhile1903
antecedane-
ere-
the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > preceding or following in order > [adjective] > preceding in order > first in order > of two
farther1534
firster1571
former1588
foremore1801
1571 E. Grant tr. Plutarch President for Parentes sig. G.vi Paulus ye monk by surname Simplex, when he asked whither Christ was firster than the prophets. &c.
1578 W. Hilton tr. Urbanus Regius Serm. Christ on Way to Emaus f. 17 The Patriark Iacob, prophesying of ye firster comming of Christ Iesu our Lord.
1608 Certif. in F. Peel Spen Valley (1893) 125 Followynge the same brooke untyl yt come to the firster boundarye where yt begun.
1633 Pvritanisme the Mother Ep. Ded. In those firster times of Protestancy, the name of Puritan was scarce heard of.
1656 R. Sherlock Disc. Divine Revelation xvi. 153 in Quakers Wilde Questions (new ed.) In the firster and primitive times of the Church.
1789 W. Bentley Hist. Town & Parish Halifax (Vocab.) 82 Firster, first.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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adj.1571