toísech

From Primitive Irish ᚈᚑᚃᚔᚄᚐᚉᚔ (tovisaci, genitive), from Proto-Celtic *towissākos (“leader”) (compare Welsh tywysog (“prince”)), from either Proto-Indo-European *wedʰ- (“lead”) or Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“know, see”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈtoːi̯sʲəx/, [ˈtoːi̯sʲex]

toísech m (genitive toísig, nominative plural toísig)

1. leader, chief
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 63^b5

     Essu rubu thoisech hisuidiu

     [it was] Joshua who was the leader in this

2. first-mentioned thing or person

• Irish: taoiseach, Taoiseach
  • → English: Taoiseach
• Scottish Gaelic: tòiseach

toísech (comparative toísigiu, superlative toísechem)

1. first
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 128^d17

     isind salm toisech

     in the first psalm

2. most important
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 14^c6

     .i. nochis honaib dib són .i. hires foirbthe 7 gnímai sainemlae .i. is hires as toisech hi-suidib

     that is of these two, i.e., perfect faith and excellent deeds, i.e. it is faith that is chief among them.

3. (in the comparative) sooner
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 112^b12

     Is déniu ad·ciam húa ṡúlib risíu ro·cloammar in fogur húa chluasaib, ut est is toísigiu ad·ciam teilciud in béla resíu ro·cloammar a guth sidi.

     We see more quickly with the eyes before we hear the sound with the ears, ut est we see the throwing of the axe sooner before we hear the sound of this.