Search results for 'first':

first (often written 1st) adj 1 in counting: before all others; before the second and following ones. 2 earliest in time or order; the starting object of a series of objects. 3 (the first) a the first day of the month; b golf the first hole. 4 the most important; foremost in importance • first prize. 5 basic; fundamental • first principles. 6 music a having the higher part • the first violins; b being the principal player • the first clarinet. adverb 1 before anything or anyone else. 2 foremost • got in feet first. 3 before doing anything else • first make sure of the facts. 4 for the first time • since he first saw him. 5 preferably; rather • I'd die first. 6 firstly. noun 1 a person or thing coming first, eg in a race or exam. 2 colloq a first occurrence of something; something never done before • That's a first for me! 3 the beginning; the start • from first to last. 4 denoting the first or lowest forward gear (sense 2) in a motor vehicle • She changed from first to second. 5 (a first) education, chiefly Brit first-class honours in a university degree; a degree of the highest class. at first at the start of something; early on in the course of something. at first hand directly from the original source • to obtain information at first hand. first and last essentially; on the whole. first come, first served those who respond before others to an offer have priority over them. first thing colloq early; before anything else; as the first action of the day • I'll do it first thing in the morning. first things first an expression suggesting that one should organize oneself by doing the most important things before other things. get to or make first base to complete the first stage of a process. in the first place from the start; to begin with • He didn't want to go in the first place. not have the first idea or not know the first thing about something colloq to be completely ignorant about it; to know nothing about it.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon fyrest.

first (often written 1st) adj 1 in counting: before all others; before the second and following ones. 2 earliest in time or order; the starting object of a series of objects. 3 (the first) a the first day of the month; b golf the first hole. 4 the most important; foremost in importance • first prize. 5 basic; fundamental • first principles. 6 music a having the higher part • the first violins; b being the principal player • the first clarinet. adverb 1 before anything or anyone else. 2 foremost • got in feet first. 3 before doing anything else • first make sure of the facts. 4 for the first time • since he first saw him. 5 preferably; rather • I'd die first. 6 firstly. noun 1 a person or thing coming first, eg in a race or exam. 2 colloq a first occurrence of something; something never done before • That's a first for me! 3 the beginning; the start • from first to last. 4 denoting the first or lowest forward gear (sense 2) in a motor vehicle • She changed from first to second. 5 (a first) education, chiefly Brit first-class honours in a university degree; a degree of the highest class. at first at the start of something; early on in the course of something. at first hand directly from the original source • to obtain information at first hand. first and last essentially; on the whole. first come, first served those who respond before others to an offer have priority over them. first thing colloq early; before anything else; as the first action of the day • I'll do it first thing in the morning. first things first an expression suggesting that one should organize oneself by doing the most important things before other things. get to or make first base to complete the first stage of a process. in the first place from the start; to begin with • He didn't want to go in the first place. not have the first idea or not know the first thing about something colloq to be completely ignorant about it; to know nothing about it.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon fyrest.

first (often written 1st) adj 1 in counting: before all others; before the second and following ones. 2 earliest in time or order; the starting object of a series of objects. 3 (the first) a the first day of the month; b golf the first hole. 4 the most important; foremost in importance • first prize. 5 basic; fundamental • first principles. 6 music a having the higher part • the first violins; b being the principal player • the first clarinet. adverb 1 before anything or anyone else. 2 foremost • got in feet first. 3 before doing anything else • first make sure of the facts. 4 for the first time • since he first saw him. 5 preferably; rather • I'd die first. 6 firstly. noun 1 a person or thing coming first, eg in a race or exam. 2 colloq a first occurrence of something; something never done before • That's a first for me! 3 the beginning; the start • from first to last. 4 denoting the first or lowest forward gear (sense 2) in a motor vehicle • She changed from first to second. 5 (a first) education, chiefly Brit first-class honours in a university degree; a degree of the highest class. at first at the start of something; early on in the course of something. at first hand directly from the original source • to obtain information at first hand. first and last essentially; on the whole. first come, first served those who respond before others to an offer have priority over them. first thing colloq early; before anything else; as the first action of the day • I'll do it first thing in the morning. first things first an expression suggesting that one should organize oneself by doing the most important things before other things. get to or make first base to complete the first stage of a process. in the first place from the start; to begin with • He didn't want to go in the first place. not have the first idea or not know the first thing about something colloq to be completely ignorant about it; to know nothing about it.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon fyrest.