tús, m. (gs. túis). 1. Beginning. (a) Commencement, start, origin. ~ an tsaoil, the beginning of the world. ~ oibre, comhrá, rása, start of work, of conversation, of race. ~ a chur ar rud, to begin, provide a beginning for, sth. Cuir ~ mar is ceart ar an scéal, begin the story properly. ~ a chur le rud, to start sth.; to bring sth. about; to be the cause of sth. Is tú a chuir ~ leis an troid, it was you who started the fight. Chuir sé ~ le ré nua, it brought in a new era. Cuir an t-airgead seo ina thús, put this money into it for a start. Ó thús, (i) from the beginning, (ii) in the beginning. Tá sé mar sin ó thús, it has been like that from the start. Ba cheart duit sin a rá ó thús, you should have said that in the first place. Ó thús go deireadh, ó thús deireadh, from beginning to end. Is é ~ agus deireadh mo scéil é, it is what I have been saying all along; it is the whole point of my story. Ar d~, at first. Prov:~ maith leath na hoibre, well begun is half done. S.a. báire 1, deireadh 1(a).(b) First, early, part. I d~ m’óige, in my early youth. I d~ an lae, early in the day. Bhí ~ eitinne air, he was in the early stages of tuberculosis. Níl an bhliain ach ina ~, the year is young yet. 2. (a) Forward, leading, position; precedence. ~ áite, pride of place. ~ bealaigh a thabhairt do dhuine, to let s.o. lead the way. Ar thús an mhórshiúil, at the head of the procession. Cé atá ar a d~? Who is leading them? Tá ~ agat orm, (i) you have arrived before me, (ii) you have precedence over me. Bhain mé ~ de, I got there before him. Tá ~ aici ar mhná na tíre, she is the leading lady in the country. (b) Van. ~ an airm, the van of the army. Tá a d~ ag teacht, the first of them are coming. 3. Pick, choice. ~ fíona an tábhairne, the choicest wine in the tavern. ~ an phota, the best of the brew.