Meaning of first in English

first

ordinal number, determiner

/ˈfɜːst/ us

/ˈfɝːst/

first ordinal number, determiner (BEFORE ALL OTHERS)

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(a person or thing) coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:

This is my first visit to New York.

the first time I fell in love with him the first time I saw him.

first few I'm always nervous for the first few minutes of an exam.

the first of Today is the first of August.

in the first place

in or at the beginning (of a series of events):

The trousers shrank when I washed them, but they weren't really big enough in the first place.

in the first instance UK

as the first attempt or effort:

Enquiries about the post should be addressed in the first instance to the personnel manager.

of the first order

(also of the first water)

to a very great degree or of an extremely good kind:

It is a diplomatic scandal of the first order.

first thing

at the earliest time in the day:

He said he'd call back first thing tomorrow.

More examplesFewer examples

You roll/throw the dice and whoever gets the highest score goes first.
Their first baby is due in January.
When did you first encounter these difficulties?
I was amazed to hear that Chris had won first prize.
Yesterday the company announced its first ever fall in profits.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

First and firstly

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first ordinal number, determiner (MUSIC)

[ before noun ] music specialized

in a group of musicians or singers, relating to the highest or higher instrument, voice, or part:

She sings first soprano in the school choir.

He is the best first trumpet player in the business.

Unusually, the first altos have the tune.

See also

first violin

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Musicians

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Grammar

First, firstly or at first?

First can be an adjective or an adverb and refers to the person or thing that comes before all others in order, time, amount, quality or importance: …

Idioms

be in the first flush of

first things first

first

adverb

/ˈfɜːst/ us

/ˈfɝːst/

before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:

come first Tom came first in the race.

Who finished first?

If you get home first, can you feed the cat?

for the first time:

When did you first meet each other?

The company was still very small when I first joined.

(also firstly)

used at the beginning of a list of things you want to say or write:

First, I want to thank my parents.

first of all First of all (= before anything else), I'd like to ask you a few questions.

first off First off (= before anything else), let me introduce myself.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Before, after and already

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

First and firstly

Grammar

First, firstly or at first?

First can be an adjective or an adverb and refers to the person or thing that comes before all others in order, time, amount, quality or importance: …

Idioms

at first
come first
first among equals
first and foremost
first and last
first come, first served
put someone/something first

first

noun

/ˈfɜːst/ us

/ˈfɝːst/

first noun (THING/PERSON)

B1 [ S ]

the first person or thing to do or be something, or the first person or thing mentioned:

We've fostered several children. Tina was the first.

the first to My passport was the first to arrive.

one of the first to She was one of the first to try the new treatment.

Tonight sees the first of three documentaries about cancer.

be the first to admit something

(also be the first to say something)

to be willing to admit something:

I'm the first to admit we sometimes make mistakes.

He's the first to say he is paid too much money.

from the (very) first

from the beginning:

I've opposed the proposal from the very first.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

First and firstly

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Accepting & agreeing

first noun (MUSIC)

[ C ] music specialized

In a group of musicians or singers, a first is a person who plays or sings the highest or a higher part:

The second violins were seated on the right side of the stage, opposite the firsts.

She's usually a first but today she's singing second.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Musicians

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first noun (NEVER BEFORE)

C2 [ S ]

something that has never happened or been done before:

She said sorry? That's a first!

a first for This new surgical technique is a first for (= has never been done before in) the hospital.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Always & never

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first noun (QUALIFICATION)

[ C ] UK

(also first-class degree)

the best possible undergraduate university degree you can get in the UK and some other countries:

first in She has a first in English from Newcastle University.

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Marks & results

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first noun (VEHICLE)

[ U ]

(also first gear)

(in a vehicle) the gear used when starting to drive forward or when driving up a steep hill

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The engine & engine parts

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first noun (BASEBALL)

[ C usually singular ] informal

another word for first base :

I caught the ball and calmly stepped on first.

There were runners on first and third with nobody out.

Grant Faint/Photolibrary/GettyImages

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Baseball & rounders

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(Definition of first from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

first | American Dictionary

first

adjective, adverb, noun [ C ]

/fɜrst/

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(a person or thing) coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:

Would you like to go first?

[ C ] We leave on the first of August.

At first (= In the beginning) I thought he was joking, but then I realized he meant it.

First also means first base

Idioms

at first glance
first (of all)
first and foremost
first come, first served
first thing
first things first
in the first place
on a first-name basis

(Definition of first from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

What is the pronunciation of first?

A1,B2,A1,B1,A2,B1,C2

Translations of first

in Chinese (Traditional)

第一（的）, 首先, 最初…

in Chinese (Simplified)

第一（的）, 首先, 最初…

in Spanish

primero, en primer lugar, por primera vez…

in Portuguese

em primeiro, pela primeira vez, primeiro…

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in Italian

पहिलं/पहिला/पहिली, पहिला /पहिली /पहिलं, पहिल्यांदा…

最初の, 第一の, 最高の…

ilk, birinci, ilk ve tek…

premier/-ière, en premier, d’abord…

primer, en primer lloc, per primera vegada…

eerst, de eerste…

(ஒரு நபர் அல்லது விஷயம்) ஒழுங்கு, நேரம், அளவு…

(व्यक्ति या वस्तु, क्रम, समय…

સર્વ પ્રથમ, પહેલું, પહેલી…

første, først…

först, första, förste…

pertama, dahulu…

erst, zuerst, der/die/das Erste…

første, først, første gang [masculine]…

پہلا, پہلی, اول…

перший, спершу, спочатку…

первый, сперва, первым…

ప్రధమ, మొదటి వ్యక్తి లేదా చేయవలసిన పని లేదా ఏదైనా చేయడం లేదా పేర్కొన్న మొదటి వ్యక్తి లేదా విషయం, ఇంతకు ముందు ఎప్పుడూ జరగలేదు లేదా చేయలేదు…

أوَّل, أهَمّ, أولاًّ…

প্রথম, কোনো ব্যক্তি বা বস্তু যা ক্রম, সময়…

první, nejdříve…

pertama, lebih dulu, yang pertama…

เป็นอันดับที่หนึ่ง, เป็นอันดับแรก ก่อนทำสิ่งอื่น, คนหรือสัตว์ที่มาก่อนคนอื่น…

thứ nhất, đầu tiên, trước hết…

pierwszy, najpierw, jako pierwszy…

첫째의, 첫째의(일등의), 맨 먼저…

primo, prima, innanzitutto…

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firming

firmly

firmness

firmware

first

first (of all) idiom

first aid

first aid kit

first among equals idiom

Meaning of first in English

first ordinal number, determiner (BEFORE ALL OTHERS)

first ordinal number, determiner (MUSIC)

Grammar

Idioms

Grammar

Idioms

first noun (THING/PERSON)

first noun (MUSIC)

first noun (NEVER BEFORE)

first noun (QUALIFICATION)

first noun (VEHICLE)

first noun (BASEBALL)

first | American Dictionary

Idioms

Translations of first

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