first thing

Idioms  

1. Before anything else; without delay. For example, Tom was supposed to call him first thing in the morning. [Late 1500s] Also see under first and foremost; first off.

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Example Sentences

The first thing I noticed was a British group who weren’t known for being very beautiful, very handsome, and their roadies were definitely not.

From Los Angeles Times

"The first thing you do when you greet a person is smile at them, that's the first connection you have, so for me, it's about being a human being with dignity and pride."

From BBC

I didn’t know the first thing about money — but more importantly, I didn’t look like a person who knew the first thing about money.

From Salon

"Doctors aren't taught about this condition. The first thing we need is understanding," she said.

From BBC

When Sombr appeared on the show this month, the first thing the singer told Barthès was that he was “proud” to appear on “the French show with the good lighting.”

From The Wall Street Journal