first
/fəːst
/ordinal number
1Coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st: his first wife the first of five daughters many valuable drugs have been recognized first as poisons...
- The set features songs from their first five albums when they were at the height of their creative powers.
- Officers were able to use the new order on the first day it was implemented.
- Aside from switching the order of the first question, this year was no exception.
Synonyms
earliest, initial, opening, introductory, original
fundamental, basic, rudimentary, primary, beginning, elemental, underlying, basal, foundation;
key, cardinal, central, chief, vital, essential
1.1Never previously done or occurring: her first day at school...
- This is claimed to be the first exhibition ever to show how the self-portrait developed.
- The BBC is set to launch its first ever sports news programme dedicated to children.
- The display of works on paper is the first ever loan exhibition organised by Kettle's Yard.
1.2Coming or encountered next after a specified or implied time, event, etc. the first house I came to...
- The first problem McCall encountered on his return was a severely depleted player roll.
- The first action in the event of a fire is to put on the gas mask each crewman is issued.
- It was the first event in the year so it was a really nice chance for people to catch up.
1.3Before doing something else specified or implied: Do you mind if I take a shower first?...
- We had to go to Ballina to meet the Bishop first and then back to Bangor again for the marriage.
- Would you like me to make them now, or would your Lordship prefer to hear from Mr K. first?
Synonyms
before anything else, first and foremost, firstly, in the first place;
without further ado, now
1.4For the first time: she first picked up a guitar out of sheer boredom...
- I can remember when this story first emerged.
- One set of accounts suggests that the story first surfaced in Germany in the 1930s.
1.5 informal The first occurrence of something notable: we travelled by air, a first for both of us...
- Less well known has been his quiet role as vice chairman of Space Adventures, which includes some notable firsts.
- Bradford has scored a couple of notable firsts, thanks to the efforts of the Bradford Metropolitan Recreation Department, by launching two projects to keep the citizens of Bradford slim and trim.
- York City's 4-1 FA Cup triumph over Radcliffe Borough last Sunday marked a number of notable firsts for the Minstermen.
Synonyms
novelty, new experience, first experience, first occurrence, unusual event
informal a turn-up for the books
1.6The first in a sequence of a vehicle’s gears: he stuck the car in first and revved...
- Pull both together for neutral and with a foot on the brake you select first.
1.7 Baseball First base: he made it all the way home from first
1.8chiefly British The first form of a school or college.It was in 1988, my first year in the first grade, and the Blacks used to come on a full tour....
- My parents sent me to sleep away schools since the time I was in first grade.
- Leah was six and also in first grade, but her gift was in mathematics, and she was at a fifth grade level.
2Foremost in position, rank, or importance: the doctor’s first duty is to respect this right a first prize of £250 career women who put work first football must come first...
- The quality of life has got to come first above creating ugly urban sprawl.
- At the end of the day, everybody's got family and they do have to come first.
- My feeling about this statement has always been that it's a shame, but people come first.
Synonyms
foremost, principal, highest, greatest, paramount, top, topmost, utmost, uppermost, prime, chief, leading, main, major;
pre-eminent, overriding, outstanding, supreme, premier, predominant, prevailing, most important, of greatest importance, of prime importance;
vital, key, essential, crucial, central, core, focal, pivotal, dominant;
ruling, head
informal number-one
top, best, prime, premier, superlative;
winner's, winning, champion
2.1Firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a main point or reason): first, it is wrong that the victims should have no remedy
2.2In 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!
Synonyms
in preference, more willingly, sooner, rather
2.3The first finisher or position in a race or competition.He's also timed it so that he's going out as the first finishers in the race are coming in....
- The three disciplines are run back-to-back and the winner is the first athlete to finish.
- It was so refreshing to hear Latka explain how he had raced from 28th to first and won.
2.4 [in titles] Having precedence over all others of a similar kind: First Lord of the Admiralty
2.5British A place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree: chaps with firsts from Oxbridge
2.6British A person who has received the top grade in an examination for a degree.
2.7 (the firsts) The best or main team of a sports club: he was asked to play for the firsts...
- David Duxbury's side was cheered on by a good crowd which included most of the firsts from both clubs.
- Next up is a trip to Emley Moor for the firsts while the second team entertain Dudley Hill Eagles at home.
- It was the firsts that were so inspiring to watch, after all; that was where the future representatives of our country would be playing and it was something we could always strive to achieve; to play for our school first team.
2.8 (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...
- As soon as I said that a dark figure crashed into the window and fell head first on the floor.
- Down she fell head first onto the floor.
- He opened the door to be greeted by Diana falling head first to the ground.
4 [often with infinitive] The most pressing, likely, or suitable: his first problem is where to live he is the first to admit he was not the best of patients...
- Inbound tourist operators are the first to admit their jobs are the cream of the crop.
- I'd be the first to admit that networking has been the key to my success in any job or role I've ever had.
- Fiona is the first to admit that she is impatient when it comes to her home.
5 Music Performing the highest or chief of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice: the first violins...
- I looked up at one point in the middle of the second act, to see something strange going on in the first violins.
- Gradually a permanent nucleus was formed comprising the essential elements of an Orchestra - firsts and seconds, alto, tenor and bass parts, guitar, bayan, piano and percussion.
Phrases
at first
at first glance
at first hand
at first instance
at first sight
(the) first among equals
first blood
first come, first served
first and foremost
first and last
first of all
first off
first past the post
first thing
first things first
first up
from the (very) first
from first to last
in the first place
of the first order (or magnitude)
of the first water
Origin
Old English fyr(e)st; of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse fyrstr and German Fürst 'prince', from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit prathama, Latin primus, and Greek prōtos.
The Old English word first goes back to an ancient root which is shared by Latin primus (as in prime), and Greek prōtos (as in protein (mid 19th century) and prototype (mid 16th century)). The expression first come, first served goes back to the Middle Ages and is found in the poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer. It was originally used in the context of milling, when a mill would serve the whole community. The first person to bring their corn to the mill would be the first person to have it ground. The first among equals is the member of a group that has the highest status. It is a translation of the Latin phrase primus inter pares, which was used as a title by Roman emperors. Many will know it today as the title of a Jeffrey Archer novel published in 1984. In Scotland to first-foot (early 19th century) is to be the first person to cross the threshold of a house in the New Year. Traditionally, it is thought lucky for that person to be a dark-haired man.