FIRST
ADJECTIVES
..897 ► ELDEST earliest, first produced; first, most ancient → arch.
1400 ► FURTHERMOST foremost, first → obs.
1653 ► FURTHEST earliest, first → obs.
1885 ► ACE-HIGH preeminent, first in favour or esteem; first-rate; faultless; absolute → US sl.
1885 ► ACES-HIGH preeminent, first in favour or esteem; first-rate; faultless; absolute → US sl.
20C.. ► EARLY-BIRD first of the day, as an early-bird matinee → sl.
1900 ► ERST first in order → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 ► FIRSTEST first → Amer. dial.
ADVERBS
1970 ► UP FRONT first, at the start → sl., orig. African-American
NOUNS
1449 ► HEADHOOD the position or office of head, chief, principal, or supreme governor; chiefship, leadership; the first place or position; supremacy, primacy → obs.
1573 ► HANDSEL → HANSEL the first use, experience, trial, proof, or specimen of anything; first taste, foretaste, first fruits; often with the notion of its being auspicious of what is to follow
1582 ► HEADSHIP the position or office of head, chief, principal, or supreme governor; chiefship, leadership; the first place or position; supremacy, primacy
1639 ► VERNALITY the ‘spring-time’ of something; the first part, the beginning → obs.
NOUNS, PERSON
1613 ► BEGINNER he who or that which goes or comes first, or takes the lead → obs.
PHRASES
1711 ► EGG AND BIRD in youth and maturity, from beginning to end, first and last → obs.
1854 ► FIRST CATCH YOUR HARE as the first step to do anything
VERBS
1374 ► BEAR THE BELL to take the first place; to have foremost rank or position, to be the best; to excel, to be pre-eminent
1450 ► LEAD THE RING to take the lead; to be foremost or first → obs.
1529 ► RULE THE RING to take the lead; to be foremost or first → obs.
1605 ► HANDSEL → HANSEL to use for the first time; to be the first to test, try, prove, taste
1886 ► TAKE THE CAKE to carry off the honours, to rank first
Lexicophilia 