First-rate

Pronunciation varies by accent · adjective

Meaning

(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850–875, and weighing approximately 2,500 tons burthen..

Definitions by Sense

1. (UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850–875, and weighing approximately 2,500 tons burthen.
2. (idiomatic) Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.
3. (UK, military, nautical, historical) A first-rate ship of the line.

Example Sentences

Our only first-rate body of contemporary poetry is the German.

He used to drop into my chambers once in a while to smoke, and was first-rate company. When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him. I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me.

"I once did something right. I played first-rate basketball. I really did. And after you're first-rate at something, no matter what, it kind of takes the kick out of being second-rate."

Synonyms for first-rate

Antonyms for first-rate

Related Words

Word Forms

• first rate
• first-rates

Usage Notes

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