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first definition

first (fʉrst)

adjective

  1. preceding all others in a series; before any other; 1st
  2. happening or acting before all others; earliest
  3. ranking before all others; foremost in rank, quality, importance, etc.; principal
  4. designating the slowest forward gear ratio of a motor vehicle transmission; low ()
  5. Music playing or singing the part highest in pitch or the leading part

Etymology: ME < OE fyrst, lit., foremost, superl. of fore, before (see fore), akin to OHG furist, Ger fürst, prince, lit., foremost < IE base *per-, beyond > L prae, before, Gr para, beside, beyond

adverb

    1. before any other person or thing; at the beginning
    2. before doing anything else
  2. as the first point; to begin with
  3. for the first time
  4. sooner; preferably

noun

  1. the one before the second
  2. any person, thing, class, place, etc. that is first
  3. the first day of a month
  4. the beginning; start
  5. a first happening or thing of its kind
  6. the best quality of merchandise
  7. the winning place in a race or competition
  8. the first () gear of a motor vehicle transmission; low ()
  9. ☆ Baseball first base
  10. Music the highest or leading voice or instrument in an ensemble
first Idioms

first thing

as the first thing; before anything else

in the first place

firstly; to begin with

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms first idiom

medical first definition - medical

first Synonyms

first

modif.

  1. Foremost in order

    beginning, original, earliest, primary, prime, primal, antecedent, anterior, initial, virgin, maiden, opening, introductory, inceptive, incipient, inaugural, premier, primeval, aboriginal, leading, in the beginning, front, head, rudimentary, fundamental.

    Antonyms last*, ultimate*, final. *

  2. Foremost in importance

    chief, greatest, prime, preeminent; see principal.

in the first place

firstly, initially, to begin with; see at first under first.


first

n.

beginning, outset, start, the word ""go''*; see origin 1.

at first

in the beginning, initially, firstly, in the first place, at the outset, at the start, at the beginning, at the commencement, originally, to begin win, first off*, for openers*.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

first Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • put: Put child safety first By Roma Felstein of Safe & Sound Put child safety first.

Modifies a noun

  • time: For the first time in years, Jonathan " Jack " O'Neill had cried.

Modifying Another Word

  • very: From the very first flat to our current rather large house we have never really thought about jumping on the housing market.

Infinitive complement

  • hear: Sign-up to be the first to hear about all the latest offers, exclusive Park news and much more from Haven and British Holidays.

Used with adjective complement

  • come: All rounds are 3 hour races except for 30th April which will be 454 laps or 7.5 hours, whichever comes first.

Preposition: of

  • series: Welcome to the first of a series of regular e-bulletins which we intend to send to all of our members.
first usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

first quotes

First Among Equals.

-Archer,Jeffrey Howard, Lord

In America there are two classes of travelöfirst class, and with children.

-Benchley, Robert Charles

But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

-Bible (NewTestament)

first quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"first." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/first>

APA Style

first. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/first

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