figurative. Golden; rich; precious, illustrious.

Of food (now esp. meat) or other goods: of the best or highest quality, first class, excellent. Also in extended use.

Unusually good, fine, or worthy; of uncommon excellence or merit.

Of an event, action, plan, achievement, etc. Preceded by the indefinite article, or with plural noun: of first-rate magnitude, value, or importance.

More generally: of high and reverend excellence; formerly said of things highly esteemed for their qualities or ‘virtues’.

Excelling above others.

Of the highest rank or standing; paramount. Obsolete.

Of the first class, of the highest rank or importance; constituting an acknowledged standard or model; of enduring interest and value.

of (the) first rate. In extended use: of the highest class or degree of excellence. Now rare.

Pre-eminent like the sun.

Of the highest class or degree of excellence.

As a general term of enthusiasm, admiration, or emphatic approval: very fine, splendid, magnificent, excellent. Now the usual sense.

Situated at the very top; very highest; almost always figurative of the highest quality or excellence; first-rate, prime, superlatively good; of…

of superlatively high rank or quality.

That is, or has the character or style of, a ‘swell’; befitting a ‘swell’. Of things: Distinguished in style; stylish; first-rate, tip-top. Also…

Of high quality; very fine, excellent; tip-top, first-rate. colloquial and slang.

figurative. Of the highest excellence or purity; unsurpassed of its (or his or her) class; (in later use often with reference to something bad)…

= number one, adj.

Prime, first-rate, surpassingly good. U.S.

gen. Chiefly colloquial. First-class, outstanding. Cf. A No. 1, adj.

First-class, outstanding; = A1, adj.

colloquial. Leading, principal; excellent, first-rate; best-selling.

colloquial. In emphatic use. Cf. sense B. Used to emphasize something enjoyable or positive; excellent, first-rate, tremendous.

Originally U.S. Very good, excellent. Now chiefly North American.

colloquial. As a term of approval: superb, first-rate, admirable; in an excellent state or condition.

Ranking in the top class; showing impressive stylishness in appearance, performance, or behaviour; classy.

attributive. Hence, Of the first class, excelling all others, as champion pease, champion turnips, etc. Also as adj. or adv. (colloquial or dialect)…

Reduplicated for emphasis: too too (formerly occasionally written as one word, toto, totoo, tootoo). As adj. in predicative or attributive use…

First-rate, excellent, = topping, adj. (Cf. ripping, adj.)

(a) n. an academic mark in the higher range of the first class, an excellent mark; (b) adj. superlatively excellent or first-rate.

Excellent, extremely good, first-rate; great, impressive; remarkable.

of the highest grade in value, of the best or highest quality; hence colloquial (occasionally ironically), extremely good, first-rate.

attributive. Designating a pupil, action, etc., whose excellence is considered to merit a gold star; laudable; notably or outstandingly good.

that ranks among the best in the world; world-class.

More generally: of a very high quality, excellent, first-rate, exceptional. Also ironic.

In special collocations. too much (as predicate): (a) more than can be endured, intolerable: also too much of a good thing; (b) originally U.S.…

Originally U.S. Of the first quality or importance.

Characteristic of the best period of a person's work, etc.; classic.

very large; (also) very good, stupendous.

colloquial (British, Australian and New Zealand). Great, superb. Cf. sense 17b(d).

Chiefly British. Of, attaining, or relating to an academic mark of alpha (sense A. 4); (hence) first-class, excellent.

Of almost incredible excellence.

colloquial (originally and chiefly Australian and New Zealand). As a general term of approval or satisfaction: superb, excellent.

Of a temperature: close to absolute zero. Also: relating to or involving such a temperature, cryogenic.

In non-sporting contexts: of international standard; that ranks with the best in the world. Of a person.

slang (originally and chiefly U.S.). First-rate; of top quality, prime. Cf. sense B. 3a.