first aid

American  

noun

1. emergency aid or treatment given to someone injured, suddenly ill, etc., before regular medical services arrive or can be reached.

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first aid British  

noun

1. 1. immediate medical assistance given in an emergency

   2. ( as modifier )

      first-aid box

2. (in Barbados) a small shop that sells domestic items after hours

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Other Word Forms

• first-aid
  adjective
• first-aider
  noun

Etymology

Origin of first aid

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The trial had heard Roberts briefly lost consciousness in the collision, but when he came to he offered first aid to the Pinkneys until an ambulance arrived.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Page also wants more people to learn resuscitation skills, either through first aid training or even at home.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Crew members tried to give him first aid, but to no avail, said Alok Singh, the late captain’s brother-in-law.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Donna, who used to work in the military but now works in education, stores water, tinned food, freeze-dried food, tea, coffee, powdered milk and a first aid kit.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Inside was everything they needed to keep from freezing and starving to death: a sturdy tent, sleeping bags, flashlights, a first aid kit, a camping stove, and a pot to melt snow for water.

From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis