ærest

Old English

Alternative forms

• ǣrost, ārest, ǣrust, ǣrst, ǣst
• ārest, ǣræst — Mercian

Etymology

Superlative form of ǣr, from Proto-West Germanic *airist(ō).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæːrest/

Adjective

ǣrest

1. superlative degree of ǣr (“early”); first

Declension

Declension of ǣrest — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ǣrest	ǣrest	ǣrest
Accusative	ǣrestne	ǣreste	ǣrest
Genitive	ǣrestes	ǣrestre	ǣrestes
Dative	ǣrestum	ǣrestre	ǣrestum
Instrumental	ǣreste	ǣrestre	ǣreste
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ǣreste	ǣresta, ǣreste	ǣrest
Accusative	ǣreste	ǣresta, ǣreste	ǣrest
Genitive	ǣrestra	ǣrestra	ǣrestra
Dative	ǣrestum	ǣrestum	ǣrestum
Instrumental	ǣrestum	ǣrestum	ǣrestum

Declension of ǣrest — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ǣresta	ǣreste	ǣreste
Accusative	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣreste
Genitive	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣrestan
Dative	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣrestan
Instrumental	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣrestan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣrestan
Accusative	ǣrestan	ǣrestan	ǣrestan
Genitive	ǣrestra, ǣrestena	ǣrestra, ǣrestena	ǣrestra, ǣrestena
Dative	ǣrestum	ǣrestum	ǣrestum
Instrumental	ǣrestum	ǣrestum	ǣrestum

Adverb

ǣrest

1. at first
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     ⁊ hē [Pirrus] hæfde XX elpenda tō þǣm ġefeohte mid him, þe Rōmane ǣr na ne ne ġesawon: hē wæs sē forma mon þe hīe ǣrest on Italium brōhte.

     And he [Pyrrhus] had twenty elephants with him in battle, which the Romans had never seen before; he was the first man to bring them to Italy.

Descendants

• Middle English: erest, erst, arst
  • English: erst
  • Scots: erst