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What is "first fruit"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
First fruit

First \First\ (f[~e]rst), a. [OE. first, furst, AS. fyrst; akin to Icel. fyrstr, Sw. & Dan. f["o]rste, OHG. furist, G. f["u]rst prince; a superlatiye form of E. for, fore. See For, Fore, and cf. Formeer, Foremost.]

  1. Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest; as, the first day of a month; the first year of a reign.

  2. Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others.

  3. Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece. At first blush. See under Blush. At first hand, from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent. It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yourself. --Dickens. First coat (Plastering), 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. First day, Sunday; -- so called by the Friends. First floor.

    1. The ground floor. [U.S.]

    2. The floor next above the ground floor. [Eng.] First fruit or First fruits.

      1. The fruits of the season earliest gathered.

      2. (Feudal Law) One year's profits of lands belonging to the king on the death of a tenant who held directly from him.

    3. (Eng. Eccl. Law) The first year's whole profits of a benefice or spiritual living.

    4. The earliest effects or results.

      See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung From thy implanted grace in man!
      --Milton.

      First mate, an officer in a merchant vessel next in rank to the captain.

      First name, same as Christian name. See under Name, n.

      First officer (Naut.), in the merchant service, same as First mate (above).

      First sergeant (Mil.), the ranking non-commissioned officer in a company; the orderly sergeant.
      --Farrow.

      First watch (Naut.), the watch from eight to twelve at midnight; also, the men on duty during that time.

      First water, the highest quality or purest luster; -- said of gems, especially of diamond and pearls.

      Syn: Primary; primordial; primitive; primeval; pristine; highest; chief; principal; foremost.

Usage examples of "first fruit".

When they produced their first fruita handsome hard rind that turned gold and red and speckled green, inside of which rested a big flat seed surrounded by delicious yellow meathis neighbors asked what strange thing he had this time.

He collected four such leaves, then went back to detach the first fruit Mara had shown him.

He planted the tree on the grave and lived to see the year in which the tree bore its first fruit.

A next stage of crop development included the first fruit and nut trees, domesticated around 4000 B.

A next stage of crop development included the first fruit and nut trees, domesticated around 4000 b.

Boats come out bearing the first fruit and vegetables that these travelers will have eaten in half a year.

The day was nearly over before they reached, first fruit trees, then cornfields.