first blood
Britishnoun
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the first killing or wounding in a fight or war
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the first damage or reverse inflicted on an opponent in a conflict
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the researchers, this indicates that the first blood cells likely emerged around the same time multicellular animals first appeared on Earth.
From Science Daily ● May 27, 2026
Yesavage, 22, was named on Thursday to start game one as the Blue Jays look to draw first blood against the defending Major League Baseball champions in the best-of-seven series.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025
The Springboks drew first blood and, given it was so early, it was a grim beginning for Scotland.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2024
Williams had drawn first blood with a right-footed shot from the center of the box five minutes earlier.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2023
Beyond his tree, as he slept, the first blood light of dawn was rising up the sky.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
