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at first

Initially, at the start, as in At first the berries were green, but when they ripened they turned bright red. [Second half of 1500s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Related Words for at first

basically, formerly, primitively, first, primarily, incipiently, initially, originally

Examples from the Web for at first

Historical Examples of at first

  • Even Mr. Seward, cautious and conservative diplomat as he was, at-first "opposed any concession or surrender of the prisoners."