erst

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɝst/ UK /ɜːst/ See IPA manual

Freq #139653

Meanings

1

adv
archaic or literary: formerly; in the past

The sawyer, erst a road mender, watched from the doorway.
2

adv
First of all, before (some other specified thing).

Consider what I erst have been and what thou seest me now:
3

adv
Sooner (than); before.

Thenne he sente the varlet ageyne and bad hym telle Kyng Mark that I wille come as soone as I am hole / for erste I maye doo hym noo good "Then he sent the varlet again, and bade him: Tell King Mark that I will come as soon as I am whole, for erst I may do him no good. "

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · archaic or literary:... formerly once

Word family

Derived forms erstwhile

Etymology

From Middle English erste, from Old English ǣresta (“first”), from Proto-West Germanic *airist (“earliest, first”), equivalent to ere + -est. Cognate with North Frisian iarst, iáárs, jarst, jest (“first”), West Frisian earst (“first”), Dutch eerste (“first”), German erste (“first”).

Topics

Describing Qualities Register & Style

External links

# erst

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ɝst/
**IPA (UK):** /ɜːst/
**Frequency rank:** 139653

## Meanings
1. archaic or literary: formerly; in the past
2. First of all, before (some other specified thing).
3. Sooner (than); before.

## Examples
- The sawyer, erst a road mender, watched from the doorway.
- Consider what I erst have been and what thou seest me now:
- Thenne he sente the varlet ageyne and bad hym telle Kyng Mark that I wille come as soone as I am hole / for erste I maye doo hym noo good "Then he sent the varlet again, and bade him: Tell King Mark that I will come as soon as I am whole, for erst I may do him no good. "

## Derived Forms
- erstwhile

## Etymology
From Middle English erste, from Old English ǣresta (“first”), from Proto-West Germanic *airist (“earliest, first”), equivalent to ere + -est. Cognate with North Frisian iarst, iáárs, jarst, jest (“first”), West Frisian earst (“first”), Dutch eerste (“first”), German erste (“first”).

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Register & Style

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