ˈfirst-born, a.
[f. first adv. + born a.]
1. That is born first, eldest.
| 1382 Wyclif Luke ii. 7 Sche childide her firste born sone. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. viii. 55 Cayn the fyrst borne child. 1611 Bible Deut. xxi. 15 If the first borne sonne be hers that was hated. 1847 Mrs. A. Kerr Hist. Servia 250 He often called him ‘Son’; saying, ‘Alexa, his first-born son, was not dearer to him’. |
| transf. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 701 The firstborn efforts of my youthful Muse. 1807 Crabbe Newspaper 449 Read your first-born work a thousand times. |
b. nonce-use. That is the right of the first-born.
| 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 256 Spontaneous joys..The soul adopts, and owns their first-born sway. |
2. absol. (quasi-n.)| a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxxxiv. 8 He smote þe first borne of egipt fro man til best. 1587 Golding De Mornay vi. 71 The Firstborne of God. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 489 Jehovah..equal'd with one stroke Both her first born and all her bleating Gods. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 263 ¶1 Camillus and his first-born dwell together. 1837 Lytton E. Maltrav. iii. iv, Teresa was trying to teach her first-born to read. |
| transf. 1830 Tennyson Ode to Memory 92 The love thou bearest The first-born of thy genius. |
b. rarely as
n. with plural ending.
| 1866 J. H. Newman Gerontius ii. 21 All praise to Him..By whom proud first-borns from their thrones are cast. |