first offender
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of first offender
First recorded in 1840–50
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.
In England, a 61-year-old first offender convicted of embezzlement would almost certainly go to an open prison - but that option does not exist in Scotland.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
They were also allowed to plead guilty under Georgia’s first offender law, meaning that if they complete their probation without violating the terms or committing another crime, their records will be wiped clean.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 14, 2023
The third threshold was $250 million, with tax rates of 62.5% for the first offender 75% for the second and 95% for the third.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 19, 2022
Paul Hodgkins, a Florida man, was the first offender to be sentenced when he received eight months in prison in July for obstructing an official proceeding.
From Fox News ● Sep. 3, 2021
In many instances it is quite sufficient punishment for a first offender in a petty case to be publicly rebuked in the police court.
From Crime and Its Causes by William Douglas Morrison
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.
