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1. Dictionary

   first

   /fərst/

   ordinal

   • 1. coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st: "his first wife" Similar earliestinitialopeningintroductoryoriginalfundamentalbasicrudimentaryprimarybeginningelementalunderlyingbasalfoundationkeycardinalcentralchiefvitalessentialOpposite lastclosingdeveloped
   • ▪ never previously done or occurring: "her first day at school"
   • ▪ coming next after a specified or implied time or occurrence: "I didn't take the first bus"
   • ▪ met with or encountered before any others: "the first house I came to"
   • ▪ originally: "many valuable drugs have been recognized first as poisons"
   • ▪ before doing something else specified or implied: "Do you mind if I take a shower first?" Similar before anything elsefirst and foremostfirstlyin the first placewithout further adonowOpposite last
   • ▪ for the first time: "she first picked up a guitar out of sheer boredom"
   • ▪ firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a first point or reason): "first, it is wrong that the victims should have no remedy"
   • ▪ in preference; rather (used when strongly rejecting a suggestion or possibility): "she longed to go abroad, but not at this man's expense—she'd die first!" Similar in preferencemore willinglysoonerrather
   • ▪ the first occurrence of something notable: informal "we traveled by air, a first for both of us" Similar noveltynew experiencefirst experiencefirst occurrenceunusual eventinformal:a turn-up for the books
   • ▪ the first in a sequence of a vehicle's gears: "he stuck the car in first and revved"
   • ▪ first base: "he made it all the way home from first"
   • ▪ the first grade of a school. British
   • ▪ a first edition of a book: "collectors of modern firsts"
   • 2. foremost in position, rank, or importance: "the doctor's first duty is to respect this right" Similar foremostprincipalhighestgreatestparamounttoptopmostutmostuppermostprimechiefleadingmainmajorpreeminentoverridingoutstandingsupremepremierpredominantprevailingmost importantof greatest importanceof prime importancevitalkeyessentialcrucialcentralcorefocalpivotaldominantrulingheadinformal:number-onetopbestprimepremiersuperlativewinner'swinningchampionOpposite last
   • ▪ the most likely, pressing, or suitable: "he is the first to admit he was not the best of patients"
   • ▪ the first finisher or position in a race or competition.
   • ▪ performing the highest or chief of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice: "the first violins"
   • ▪ a place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree: British "he took a first in Classics"
   • ▪ a person having achieved a top grade in an examination. British
   • ▪ goods of the best quality: "factory firsts, seconds, and discontinued styles"
   • 3. with a specified part or person in a leading position: "it plunged nose first into the river"

   Word Origin Old Englishfyr(e)st; of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse fyrstr and German Fürst ‘prince’, from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit prathama, Latin primus, and Greek prōtos.

   Scrabble Points: 8

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › firstFirst Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › first

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   : preceding all others in time, order, or importance: such as. a. : earliest. She won first prize. his first girlfriend. b. : being the lowest forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle. couldn't get the car out of first gear. : having the highest or most prominent part among a group of similar voices or instruments. first violins. 2 of 3. adverb. 1.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishFIRST | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   FIRST definition: 1. (a person or thing) coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance: 2…. Learn more.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › firstFIRST Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   First is used to describe something as being original or before anything else, as in time, order, or rank. First can also be used to describe something as happening before something else or as happening for the first time. First is also used as a noun to mean the person or thing that is before all others, as in rank.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishFIRST definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

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   The first thing, person, event, or period of time is the one that happens or comes before all the others of the same kind. She lost 16 pounds in the first month of her diet. ...the first few flakes of snow.

6. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › firstfirst | meaning of first in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

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   first meaning, definition, what is first: coming before all the other things or pe...: Learn more.

7. www.thefreedictionary.com › firstFirst - definition of first by The Free Dictionary

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   Define first. first synonyms, first pronunciation, first translation, English dictionary definition of first. n. 1. The ordinal number matching the number one in a series. 2. The one coming, occurring, or ranking before or above all others. 3. The beginning; the...

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › firstFirst - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › first

   First is number one, prior to, or before. First comes first, then comes everything else. It's always good to be first in line or in first class. Who wants to be second? Or worse — last? Whether it’s a noun, adjective, or adverb, you’ll find first at the beginning and opposite from last.

9. www.yourdictionary.com › firstFirst Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

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   First Definition. The ordinal number matching the number one in a series. That one before the second. The one coming, occurring, or ranking before or above all others. Any person, thing, class, place, etc. that is first. The beginning; start. Corresponding in order to the number one.

10. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishFIRST | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

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    to be the most important person or thing: Her career always comes first. put sb/sth first. to consider someone or something to be the most important thing: Most couples put their children first when sorting out their problems. First come, first served.

11. www.britannica.com › dictionary › firstFirst Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

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    or first come, first serve. — used to say that the people who arrive earliest get served or treated before the people who arrive later. The campsites are first come, first served, so we'd better get there early. = The campsites are assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis, so we'd better get there early.