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first-line

American  
[furst-lahyn] / ˈfɜrstˈlaɪn /

adjective

  1. available for immediate service, especially combat service.

    first-line troops.

  2. of prime importance or quality.


first-line British  

adjective

  1. acting or used as a first resort

    first-line treatment

    first-line batsmen

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of first-line

First recorded in 1895–1900

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.

Other first-line medications include cyclizine, promethazine and prochlorperazine.

From BBC

"Hydralazine is one of the earliest vasodilators ever developed, and it's still a first-line treatment for preeclampsia -- a hypertensive disorder that accounts for 5 to 15% of maternal deaths worldwide," says Kyosuke Shishikura, a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.

From Science Daily

The Osaka-based company plans to expand the drug into first-line gastric and pancreatic cancer settings, the filing showed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ms Edwards said the 10 companies in attendance at Thursday's meeting covered a "cross section" of first-line direct suppliers, covering the "whole eco-system" of the supply chain.

From BBC

Acetaminophen, or paracetamol, is the recommended first-line medication for pain and fever during pregnancy by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the UK's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and other medical organisations worldwide.

From BBC