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Webster 1913 Edition

(ẽrst)

adv.

[Orig. superlative of

ere

; AS.

ǣrest

. See

[Archaic]

First.

Chaucer.

Previously; before; formerly; heretofore.

Chaucer.

Tityrus, with whose style he had

erst

disclaimed all ambition to match his pastoral pipe.

A. W. Ward.

At erst

at first; at the beginning.

–

Now at erst

at this present time.

Chaucer.

adv.

[See Ere.]

First; at first; at the beginning.

Once; formerly; long ago.

Before; till then or now; hitherto.

[This word is obsolete, except in poetry.]