first

[ furst ]

adjective

1. 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.
2. Music. highest or chief among several voices or instruments of the same class:

   first alto; first horn.

3. Automotive. low ¹( def 31 ).
4. (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

1. before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.
2. before some other thing, event, etc.:

   If you're going, phone first.

3. for the first time:

   She first visited Atlanta in 1980.

4. in preference to something else; rather; sooner:

   I'd die first.

5. in the first place; firstly.

noun

1. the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.
2. the beginning.
3. the first part; first member of a series.
4. 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.
5. Automotive. low gear; first gear:

   She shifted into first and drove off.

6. the winning position or rank in a race or other competition.
7. Baseball. first base ( def 1 ).
8. Usually firsts. Commerce. Compare second ¹( def 23 ), third ( def 12 ).
   1. a product or goods of the first or highest quality.
   2. goods produced according to specifications, without visible flaws.
9. British University.
   1. first-class honors. class ( def 18 ).
   2. a person who has won such honors.

first

/ fɜːst /

adjective

1. 1. coming before all others; earliest, best, or foremost
   2. ( as noun )

      I was the first to arrive

2. preceding all others in numbering or counting order; the ordinal number of one . Often written: 1st
3. rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels
4. denoting the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle
5. music
   1. denoting the highest part assigned to one of the voice parts in a chorus or one of the sections of an orchestra

      the first violins

      first soprano

   2. denoting the principal player in a specific orchestral section

      he plays first horn

6. first thing
   first thing as the first action of the day

   I'll see you first thing tomorrow

7. first things first
   first things first things must be done in order of priority
8. the first thing
   the first thing in negative constructions even one thing

   he doesn't know the first thing about me

noun

1. the beginning; outset

   I couldn't see at first because of the mist

   I knew you were a rogue from the first

2. education an honours degree of the highest class Full termfirst-class honours degree
3. something which has not occurred before

   a first for the company

4. the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle; low gear
5. 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
6. See prime
   music a rare word for prime

adverb

1. before anything else in order, time, preference, importance, etc

   do this first

   first, remove the head and tail of the fish

2. first and last
   first and last on the whole; overall
3. from first to last
   from first to last throughout
4. for the first time

   I've loved you since I first saw you

5. sentence modifier in the first place or beginning of a series of actions

   first I want to talk about criminality

Other Words From

• firstness adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of first¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fyr(e)st; cognate with German Fürst “prince”; fore ¹, -est ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of first¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. first and last, everything considered; above all else; altogether:

   First and last, it is important to know oneself.

2. first off, Informal. at the outset; in the beginning:

   He wanted to know first off why he hadn't been notified.

3. first thing, before anything else:

   I'll call you first thing when I arrive.

More idioms and phrases containing first

• 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

Example Sentences

Fluoride first entered an American water supply through a rather inelegant technocratic scheme.

From The Daily Beast

In the first episode, an officer is shown video of himself shooting and killing a man.

From The Daily Beast

But since those rosy scenarios were first floated, the California political scene has grown more crowded.

From The Daily Beast

Eric Garcetti succeeded Villaraigosa and has received high marks in his first year and a half on the job.

From The Daily Beast

He sees himself as the first Muslim president of all Europe.

From The Daily Beast

This is the first and principal point at which we can stanch the wastage of teaching energy that now goes on.

From Project Gutenberg

He was converted and baptized, and was the first Hebrew instructor at Harvard college.

From Project Gutenberg

And I have not had the first morsel of food prepared from this grain offered me since I reached the shores of Europe.

From Project Gutenberg

Now first we shall want our pupil to understand, speak, read and write the mother tongue well.

From Project Gutenberg

In treble, second and fourth, the first change is a dodge behind; and the second time the treble leads, there's a double Bob.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• initially
• originally