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1. Dictionary

   first

   /fəːst/

   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 or encountered next after a specified or implied time, event, etc.: "the first house I came to"
   • ▪ 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"
   • ▪ the first occurrence of something notable: informal "we travelled 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 form of a school or college. 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 foremostprincipalhighestgreatestparamounttoptopmostutmostuppermostprimechiefleadingmainmajorpre-eminentoverridingoutstandingsupremepremierpredominantprevailingmost importantof greatest importanceof prime importancevitalkeyessentialcrucialcentralcorefocalpivotaldominantrulingheadinformal:number-onetopbestprimepremiersuperlativewinner'swinningchampionOpposite last
   • ▪ the most pressing, likely, or suitable: "he is the first to admit he was not the best of patients"
   • ▪ firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a main 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 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"
   • ▪ having precedence over all others of a similar kind: "First Lord of the Admiralty"
   • ▪ a place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree: British "chaps with firsts from Oxbridge"
   • ▪ a person who has received the top grade in an examination for a degree. British
   • ▪ the best or main team of a sports club: "he was asked to play for the firsts"
   • ▪ goods of the best quality: "factory firsts, seconds, and discontinued styles"
   • 3. with a specified part or person in a leading position: "the car 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. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishFIRST | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

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

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

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › first

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   The meaning of FIRST is preceding all others in time, order, or importance. How to use first in a sentence.

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

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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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.

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

   www.britannica.com › dictionary › first

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   first things first. — used to say that you should do the things that are most important before doing other things. I know you're eager to start shopping for a car, but first things first —you need to find out how much you can afford to spend. You must set priorities and learn how to put first things first.

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

   www.dictionary.com › browse › first

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   What is a basic definition of first? 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.

7. 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.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › firstFIRST | English meaning - Cambridge Essential British

   dictionary.cambridge.org › first

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   FIRST definition: 1. coming before all others: 2. most important: 3. 1st written as a word. Learn more.