first base

American  

noun

1. Baseball.

   1. the first in counterclockwise order of the bases from home plate.

   2. the position of the player covering the area of the infield near first base.

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idioms

1. get to first base,

   1. to succeed in the initial phase of a plan or undertaking.

      His suggestions for labor-saving techniques never got to first base.

   2. to engage in petting that goes no further than kissing.

first base British  

noun

1. baseball

   1. the base that a runner must reach safely to score a hit, and the first of the three bases he must reach safely on the way to home plate in order to score a run

   2. the fielding position nearest this base

2. informal to accomplish the first step of an undertaking

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Etymology

Origin of first base

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

Third baseman Ezra Sutton hit a dribbler to pitcher Joe Borden, who threw to first base for the out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

In the first inning, Trout stared down Woo before taking first base after a sinker hit the star outfielder’s left shoulder.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Batting ninth, with Shohei Ohtani on deck, Rojas stepped into the box with the goal of getting to first base.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Not everyone is born on first base with the advantages of someone with family wealth and/or the means to pursue education and a high-paying career.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 18, 2025

“How about we make third base the part of the fence with the gate? And first base is only the right side of the tree,” I suggest.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan