1coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st:his first wifethe first of five daughtersmany valuable drugs have been recognized first as poisons
never previously done or occurring:her first day at school
coming or encountered next after a specified or implied time, event, etc.:the first house I came to
before doing something else specified or implied:Do you mind if I take a shower first?
for the first time:she first picked up a guitar out of sheer boredom
informal the first occurrence of something notable:we travelled by air, a first for both of us
the first in a sequence of a vehicle’s gears:he stuck the car in first and revved
Baseball first base:he made it all the way home from first
chiefly British the first form of a school or college.
2foremost in position, rank, or importance:the doctor’s first duty is to respect this righta first prize of £250career women who put work firstfootball must come first
firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a main point or reason):first, it is wrong that the victims should have no remedy
in preference; rather (used when strongly rejecting a suggestion or possibility):she longed to go abroad, but not at this man’s expense—she’d die first!
the first finisher or position in a race or competition.
[in titles] having precedence over all others of a similar kind:First Lord of the Admiralty
British a place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree:chaps with firsts from Oxbridge
British a person who has received the top grade in an examination for a degree.
(the firsts) the best or main team of a sports club:he was asked to play for the firsts
(firsts) goods of the best quality:factory firsts, seconds, and discontinued styles
3with a specified part or person in a leading position:the car plunged nose first into the river
4 [often with infinitive] the most pressing, likely, or suitable:his first problem is where to livehe is the first to admit he was not the best of patients
5 Music performing the highest or chief of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice:the first violins
at first
at the beginning; in the initial stage or stages:at first Hugo tried to be patient
used to indicate that people will be dealt with strictly in the order in which they arrive or apply:tickets are available on a first come, first served basis
first and foremost
most importantly; more than anything else:he considered himself first and foremost a writer
first and last
fundamentally; on the whole:museums are first and last about curatorship
first of all
before doing anything else:first of all, let me ask you something
most importantly:German unity depends first of all on the German people
first off
informal, chiefly North American as a first point; firstly:first off, I owe you a heck of an apology
first past the post
(of a contestant, especially a horse) winning a race by being the first to reach the finishing line:Aliysa was first past the post in the 1989 Oaks
[attributive]British denoting an electoral system in which a candidate or party is selected by achievement of a simple majority:our first-past-the-post electoral system
first thing
early in the morning; before anything else:I have to meet Josh first thing tomorrow
first things first
important matters should be dealt with before other things:I suggest we get our priorities right—first things first
first up
British first of all.
Australian/NZ at the first attempt.
from the (very) first
from the beginning:he should have realized it from the first
from first to last
from beginning to end; throughout:it’s a fine performance that commands attention from first to last
