FIRST Definition & Meaning

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first

[furst]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

being before all others with respect to time, order, rank, importance, etc., used as the ordinal number of one: the first edition; the first vice president.
Music.��highest or chief among several voices or instruments of the same class.
first alto; first horn.
Automotive.��low.
(often initial capital letter)��being a member of the household or an intimate acquaintance of the president of the United States or of the governor of a state.
the First Lady; Checkers, the first dog.

adverb

before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.
before some other thing, event, etc..
If you're going, phone first.
for the first time.
She first visited Atlanta in 1980.
in preference to something else; rather; sooner.
I'd die first.
in the first place; firstly.

noun

the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.
the beginning.
the first part; first member of a series.
Music.��
1. the voice or instrument that takes the highest or chief part in its class, especially in an orchestra or chorus.
2. a leader of a part or group of performers.
Automotive.��low gear; first gear.
She shifted into first and drove off.
the winning position or rank in a race or other competition.
Baseball.��first base.
Commerce.��Usually firsts
1. a product or goods of the first or highest quality.
2. goods produced according to specifications, without visible flaws.
British University.��
1. first-class honors.
2. a person who has won such honors.

first

/ ��ɜː�� /

adjective

1. coming before all others; earliest, best, or foremost
2. ( as noun )
  I was the first to arrive
preceding all others in numbering or counting order; the ordinal number of one . Often written: 1st
rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels
denoting the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle
music
1. denoting the highest part assigned to one of the voice parts in a chorus or one of the sections of an orchestra
  first soprano
  the first violins
2. denoting the principal player in a specific orchestral section
  he plays first horn
as the first action of the day
I'll see you first thing tomorrow
things must be done in order of priority
(in negative constructions) even one thing
he doesn't know the first thing about me

noun

the beginning; outset
I knew you were a rogue from the first
I couldn't see at first because of the mist
Full term: first-class honours degree.��education an honours degree of the highest class
something which has not occurred before
a first for the company
the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle; low gear
music
1. the highest part in a particular section of a chorus or orchestra
2. the instrument or voice taking such a part
3. the chief or leading player in a section of an orchestra; principal
music a rare word for prime

adverb

before anything else in order, time, preference, importance, etc
do this first
first, remove the head and tail of the fish
on the whole; overall
throughout
for the first time
I've loved you since I first saw you
(sentence modifier) in the first place or beginning of a series of actions
first I want to talk about criminality

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

firstness adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of first¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fyr(e)st; cognate with German ��ü�� ‼��Գ��”; fore ¹, -est ¹

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of first¹

Old English fyrest ; related to Old Saxon furist , Old Norse fyrstr , German ��ü�� prince, one who is first in rank

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

first and last, everything considered; above all else; altogether.
First and last, it is important to know oneself.
first off, at the outset; in the beginning.
He wanted to know first off why he hadn't been notified.
first thing, before anything else.
I'll call you first thing when I arrive.

In addition to the idioms beginning with first, also see at first; at first blush; at first hand; cast the first stone; get to first base; if at first you don't succeed; in the first place; in the (first) flush of; love at first sight; not know beans (the first thing); of the first water; on a first-name basis.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It finally happened under second-year coach Andy Rojo, who guided the Braves to the Southern Section Division 1 championship and Southern California Division I regional championship, a first in school history.

From

Seth Hernandez brings the heat to get out of first and third situation.

From

Responding to developments over the weekend in the conflict between Iran and Israel, the first minister said "it's very concerning to see how that instability could spiral out of control".

From

It helped seal Bath's first league title since 1996 and their third trophy of the season, having won the Premiership Rugby Cup and Challenge Cup.

From

Most invasion scientists aim "to prevent introductions of harmful invasive species in the first place through public education, better screening tools and risk assessments," she said.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

initially��
originally��

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When To Use

What is a basic definition of��first?

First is used to describe something as being original or before anything else, as in time, order, or rank. First can also be used to describe something as happening before something else or as happening for the first time. First is also used as a noun to mean the person or thing that is before all others, as in rank. First has other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun.As an adjective, first describes something as being the original, with nothing else coming before it in time or in a series. In regards to importance or rank, first means no other rank is higher or has more authority. A ship captain’s first mate, for example, has the most authority out of all the crew. The opposite of first is last.

Real-life examples: A is the first letter in the English alphabet. George Washington was the first president of the United States. Mercury is the first planet from the sun.

Used in a sentence: I bought my first car when I was eighteen.

First is used in this same sense as an adverb to describe something happening before all others in time or coming before all others in rank.

Used in a sentence: She answered the question first out of all of the students.

First is also used in this sense as a noun to refer to something that is before all others of its kind.

Used in a sentence: I was the first to make it to the movie theater.

In a similar sense, first is used as an adverb to mean something happens for the first time.

Used in a sentence: I first went to Tokyo when I was eight years old.

First is also used as an adverb to mean something happens before something else.

Used in a sentence: Before you borrow your sister’s bike, make sure to ask her first.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

firry first aid

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