first down

noun Football.

the first of four consecutive plays during which an offensive team must advance the ball at least ten yards to retain possession of it.

a gain of ten or more yards by an offensive team that entitles it to continued possession for a new series of downs.

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Nearby words

first cuneiform bone, first dark, first day, first derivative, first division, first down, first edition, first empire, first estate, first family, first finger

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for first down

In Week 2, New York Jets wideout Santonio Holmes bobbled and dropped what would have been a first-down pass.
The NFL Replacement Referees’ 6 Worst Blown Calls (VIDEO)|Jake Heller|September 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST