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   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. People also ask

   What does first mean in a sentence?

   • 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: … come first Tom came first in the race. Who finished first? If you get home first, can you feed the cat? When did you first meet each other? The company was still very small when I first joined.

   FIRST | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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   What does first mean?

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

   FIRST | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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   What does it mean if a person is first?

   • If a person or thing is first, they come before all the others. January is the first month of the year. If you do something first, you do it before anyone else does, or before you do anything else. I do not remember who spoke first. An event that is described as a first has never happened before. The meeting was a first for the company.

   FIRST definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

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   Is first a noun or adjective?

   • First is also used as a noun to mean the person or thing that is before all others, as in rank. First has other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun. As an adjective, first describes something as being the original, with nothing else coming before it in time or in a series.

   FIRST Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   What is the difference between first and last?

   • In regards to importance or rank, first means no other rank is higher or has more authority. A ship captain’s first mate, for example, has the most authority out of all the crew. The opposite of first is last. Real-life examples:A is the first letter in the English alphabet. George Washington was the first president of the United States.

   FIRST Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   What does first class mean?

   • 3. (for) travelling in the best and most expensive part of the train, plane, ship etc. a first-class passenger ticket; (also adverb) She always travels first-class. (of a story, description etc) obtained directly, not through various other people. a first-hand account; I heard the story first-hand.

   First - definition of first by The Free Dictionary

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

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

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

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   Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and usage of the word 'first' in different contexts. Find synonyms, examples, collocations, and grammar rules for 'first' as an ordinal number, adverb, noun, or pronoun.

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

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

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

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

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   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.