first things first

The most important task gets priority, as in I very much wanted to see that movie, but first things first—the paper's due tomorrow. This adage was first recorded in 1545.

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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.

“Simon, I am overjoyed to see you, and eager to know how you are. I am also curious about that costume you have on! But first things first: Have you located Madame Ionesco? Is she nearby? Does she know how to undo the curse?”

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However, as both Agatha Swanburne and her great-granddaughter were fond of saying, “First things first.”

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The task of removing the family curse remained in the spooky hands of Madame Ionesco, but first things first.

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“But first things first—back to the letter,” she thought, for at the moment she was trying to solve an altogether different mystery: Had Miss Mortimer forgotten her birthday, or not?

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But first things first: What the heck is a three-part Berlusconi biography doing on ESPN?