Part 4328

<i>Bp. Hall.</i>

<h1>Firmity</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Firm"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>firmitas</ets>.]</ety> <def>Strength; firmness; stability.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chillingworth.</i>

<h1>Firmless</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Firm"less</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Detached from substance.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Does passion still the <b>firmless</b> mind control? <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Infirm; unstable.</def> "<i>Firmless</i> sands."

<i>Sylvester.</i>

<h1>Firmly</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Firm"ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a firm manner.</def>

<h1>Firmness</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Firm"ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state or quality of being firm.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- <er>Firmness</er>, <er>Constancy</er>.</syn> <usage> <i>Firmness</i> belongs to the will, and <i>constancy</i> to the affections and principles; the former prevents us from yielding, and the latter from fluctuating. Without <i>firmness</i> a man has no character; "without <i>constancy</i>," says Addison, "there is neither love, friendship, nor virtue in the world."</usage>

<h1>Firms</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Firms</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n. pl.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Firm</er>, <tt>a.</tt>]</ety> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>The principal rafters of a roof, especially a pair of rafters taken together.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Firring</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Fir"ring</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>See <er>Furring</er>.</def>

<h1>Firry</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>Fir"ry</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Made of fir; abounding in firs.</def>

<blockquote>In <b>firry</b> woodlands making moan. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<h1>First</h1> <Xpage=563>

<hw>First</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>first</ets>, <ets>furst</ets>, AS. <ets>fyrst</ets>; akin to Icel. <ets>fyrstr</ets>, Sw. & Dan. <ets>f\'94rste</ets>, OHG. <ets>furist</ets>, G. <ets>f\'81rst</ets> prince; a superlatiye form of E. <ets>for</ets>, <ets>fore</ets>. See <er>For</er>, <er>Fore</er>, and cf. <er>Formeer</er>, <er>Foremost</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest; <as>as, the <ex>first</ex> day of a month; the <ex>first</ex> year of a reign.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; <as>as, Demosthenes was the <ex>first</ex> orator of Greece</as>.</def>

<cs><col>At first blush</col>. <cd>See under <er>Blush</er>.</cd> -- <col>At first hand</col>, <cd>from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent.</cd>

<blockquote>It is the intention of the person to reveal it <b>at first hand</b>, by way of mouth, to yourself. <i>Dickens.</i></blockquote>

-- <col>First coat</col> <fld>(Plastering)</fld>, <cd>the solid foundation of coarse stuff, on which the rest is placed; it is thick, and crossed with lines, so as to give a bond for the next coat.</cd> -- <col>First day</col>, <cd>Sunday; -- so called by the Friends.</cd> -- <col>First floor</col>. <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>The ground floor.</cd> <mark>[U.S.]</mark> <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>The floor next above the ground floor.</cd> <mark>[Eng.]</mark> -- <mcol><col>First</col> <col>fruit &or; fruits</col></mcol>. <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>The fruits of the season earliest gathered.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <fld>(Feudal Law)</fld> <cd>One year's profits of lands belonging to the king on the death of a tenant who held directly from him.</cd> <sd>(c)</sd> <fld>(Eng. Eccl. Law)</fld> <cd>The first year's whole profits of a benefice or spiritual living.</cd> <sd>(d)</sd> <cd>The earliest effects or results.</cd>