first

adverb

/fɜːst/

/fɜːrst/

Idioms

jump to other results

before anyone or anything else; at the beginning
- ‘Do you want a drink?’ ‘I'll finish my work first.’
- First I had to decide what to wear.
- Who came first in the race (= who won)?
- It plunged nose first into the river.
- After the war, Erica went on to marry first one American millionaire and then another.
for the first time
- When did you first meet him?
- The book was first published in 1971.
- The image has haunted me ever since I first saw it.
- I first discovered the cello when I was four and a half.
- If there's anything really exciting, you'll hear it here first.
used to introduce the first of a list of points you want to make in a speech or piece of writing synonym firstly
- This method has two advantages: first it is cheaper and second it is quicker.
- First, however, I would like to thank the folks at the Center for Financial Education for inviting me to speak today.
Language Bank first
firstOrdering your points
- This study has the following aims: first, to investigate how international students in the UK use humour; second, to examine how jokes can help to establish social relationships; and third, to explore the role that humour plays in helping overseas students adjust to life in the UK.
- Let us begin by identifying some of the popular joke genres in the UK.
- Next, let us turn to/Next, let us consider the question of gender differences in the use of humour.
- Finally/Lastly, let us briefly examine the role of humour in defining a nation’s culture.
note at firstly, lastlylanguage bank at conclusion, process1
Language Bank process
processDescribing a process
- This diagram illustrates the process of paper-making./This diagram shows how paper is made.
- First/First of all, logs are delivered to a paper mill, where the bark is removed and the wood is cut into small chips.
- Next/Second, the wood chips are pulped, either using chemicals or in a pulping machine.
- Pulping breaks down the internal structure of the wood and enables/allows the natural oils to be removed.
- Once/After the wood has been pulped, the pulp is bleached in order to remove impurities. /…is bleached so that impurities can be removed.
- The next stage is to feed the pulp into the paper machine, where it is mixed with water and then poured onto a wire conveyor belt.
- As the pulp travels along the conveyor belt, the water drains away. This causes the solid material to sink to the bottom, forming a layer of paper.
- At this point the new paper is still wet, so it is passed between large heated rollers, which press out the remaining water and simultaneously dry the paper/…dry the paper at the same time.
- The final stage is to wind the paper onto large rolls./Finally, the paper is wound onto large rolls.
used to emphasize that you are determined not to do something
- She swore that she wouldn't apologize—she'd die first!

Word OriginOld English fyr(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.

Idioms

at first

at or in the beginning
- I didn't like the job much at first.
- At first I thought he was shy, but then I discovered he was just not interested in other people.
- (saying) If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Which Word? firstly / first of all / at first
firstly / first of all / at first
- Firstly and first (of all) are used to introduce a series of facts, reasons, opinions, etc:
  The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones.
  Firstly is more common in British English than in North American English.
- At first is used to talk about the situation at the beginning of a period of time, especially when you are comparing it with a different situation at a later period:
  Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less.

come first

to be considered more important than anything else
- In any decision she makes, her family always comes first.

feet first

with your feet touching the ground before any other part of your body
- He landed feet first.
(humorous) if you leave a place feet first, you are carried out after you are dead
- You'll have to carry me out feet first!

first and foremost

more than anything else
- He does a little teaching, but first and foremost he's a writer.
More Like This Alliteration in idioms
Alliteration in idioms
- belt and braces
- black and blue
- born and bred
- chalk and cheese
- chop and change
- done and dusted
- down and dirty
- in dribs and drabs
- eat somebody out of house and home
- facts and figures
- fast and furious
- first and foremost
- forgive and forget
- hale and hearty
- hem and haw
- kith and kin
- mix and match
- part and parcel
- puff and pant
- to rack and ruin
- rant and rave
- risk life and limb
- short and sweet
- signed and sealed
- spic and span
- through thick and thin
- this and that
- top and tail
- tried and tested
- wax and wane

first and last

in every way that is important; completely
- She regarded herself, first and last, as a musician.

first come, first served

(saying) people will be dealt with, seen, etc. strictly in the order in which they arrive
- Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.

first of all

before doing anything else; at the beginning
- First of all, let me ask you something.
Language Bank process
processDescribing a process
- This diagram illustrates the process of paper-making./This diagram shows how paper is made.
- First/First of all, logs are delivered to a paper mill, where the bark is removed and the wood is cut into small chips.
- Next/Second, the wood chips are pulped, either using chemicals or in a pulping machine.
- Pulping breaks down the internal structure of the wood and enables/allows the natural oils to be removed.
- Once/After the wood has been pulped, the pulp is bleached in order to remove impurities. /…is bleached so that impurities can be removed.
- The next stage is to feed the pulp into the paper machine, where it is mixed with water and then poured onto a wire conveyor belt.
- As the pulp travels along the conveyor belt, the water drains away. This causes the solid material to sink to the bottom, forming a layer of paper.
- At this point the new paper is still wet, so it is passed between large heated rollers, which press out the remaining water and simultaneously dry the paper/…dry the paper at the same time.
- The final stage is to wind the paper onto large rolls./Finally, the paper is wound onto large rolls.
as the most important thing
- The content of any article needs, first of all, to be relevant to the reader.

Which Word? firstly / first of all / at firstfirstly / first of all / at first

Firstly and first (of all) are used to introduce a series of facts, reasons, opinions, etc:
- The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones.
Firstly is more common in British English than in North American English.
At first is used to talk about the situation at the beginning of a period of time, especially when you are comparing it with a different situation at a later period:
- Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less.

first off

(informal, especially British English) before anything else
- First off, let's see how much it'll cost.

first up

(British English, informal) to start with; before anything else
- First up is a report on the situation in Australia.

head first

moving forwards or downwards with your head in front of the rest of your body
- He fell head first down the stairs.
without thinking carefully about something before acting synonym headlong
- She got divorced and rushed head first into another marriage.

put somebody/something first

to consider somebody/something to be more important than anyone/anything else
- She always puts her children first.

safety first

(saying) safety is the most important thing
- When cycling on the roads, remember: safety first.

first

noun

/fɜːst/

/fɜːrst/

Idioms

jump to other results

the first

(plural the first)
the first (to do something) the person or thing that comes or happens before all other similar people or things
- I was the first in my family to go to college.
- Sheila and Jim were the first to arrive.
the first
[singular] the earliest
- The first I heard about the wedding (= the first time I became aware of it) was when I saw it in the local paper.
- The first I knew of a problem was around 9.30 a.m. last Monday.
the first

(plural the first)
the first to do something the most likely
- I'd be the first to admit (= I will most willingly admit) I might be wrong.
- The poorest will be the first to suffer.
- Nurses are often the first to say they feel underappreciated.
[countable, usually singular] first (for somebody) an important achievement, event, etc., never done or experienced before
- We went on a cruise, a first for both of us.
- This meeting between the two presidents is a historic first.
Topics Successc1
(also first gear)
[uncountable] the lowest gear on a car, bicycle, etc. that you use when you are moving slowly
- in first He stuck the car in first and revved.
Extra Examples
- It's very difficult to find first on this car.
- Put the car into first and crept forward slowly.
- She engaged first gear and pulled off.
- As he moved into first the gear-lever knob came off in his hand.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + first
- get into
- move into
- slam into
- …
preposition
- in first
See full entry
[countable] first (in something) the highest level of university degree at British universities
- She got a first in maths at Exeter.
- He did Philosophy and English Literature and got a double first.
compare second1, thirdTopics Educationc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- double
verb + first
- be awarded
- gain
- get
- …
preposition
- first in
See full entry

Idioms

first among equals

the person or thing with the highest status in a group
- He was regarded as the ‘first among equals’ by the other office clerks.

from the (very) first

from the beginning
- They were attracted to each other from the first.

from first to last

from beginning to end; during the whole time
- It's a fine performance that commands attention from first to last.

单词	first
释义	first determiner, ordinal number /fɜːst/ /fɜːrst/ Idioms jump to other results happening or coming before all other similar things or people; 1st his first wife the first turning on the right I didn't take the first bus. It was the first time they had ever met. It's always exciting to visit a country for the first time. students in their first year at college First impressions can be misleading. She resolved to do it at the first (= earliest) opportunity. King Edward I (= pronounced ‘King Edward the First’) the first of May/May 1st His second book is better than his first. Extra Examples If he wants to see me, he should make the first move. Local voters gave Steven Hughes first preference. My first impulse was to run away. We're having chicken for the first course. When the first settlers moved into the area they faced immense hardship. You can have first choice of all the rooms. the most important or best Your first duty is to your family. She won first prize in the competition. an issue of the first importance Word OriginOld English fyr(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. Idioms Idioms containing first det. are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example on first acquaintance is at acquaintance. first adverb /fɜːst/ /fɜːrst/ Idioms jump to other results before anyone or anything else; at the beginning ‘Do you want a drink?’ ‘I'll finish my work first.’ First I had to decide what to wear. Who came first in the race (= who won)? It plunged nose first into the river. After the war, Erica went on to marry first one American millionaire and then another. for the first time When did you first meet him? The book was first published in 1971. The image has haunted me ever since I first saw it. I first discovered the cello when I was four and a half. If there's anything really exciting, you'll hear it here first. used to introduce the first of a list of points you want to make in a speech or piece of writing synonym firstly This method has two advantages: first it is cheaper and second it is quicker. First, however, I would like to thank the folks at the Center for Financial Education for inviting me to speak today. Language Bank firstfirstOrdering your points This study has the following aims: first, to investigate how international students in the UK use humour; second, to examine how jokes can help to establish social relationships; and third, to explore the role that humour plays in helping overseas students adjust to life in the UK. Let us begin by identifying some of the popular joke genres in the UK. Next, let us turn to/Next, let us consider the question of gender differences in the use of humour. Finally/Lastly, let us briefly examine the role of humour in defining a nation’s culture. note at firstly, lastlylanguage bank at conclusion, process1 Language Bank processprocessDescribing a process This diagram illustrates the process of paper-making./This diagram shows how paper is made. First/First of all, logs are delivered to a paper mill, where the bark is removed and the wood is cut into small chips. Next/Second, the wood chips are pulped, either using chemicals or in a pulping machine. Pulping breaks down the internal structure of the wood and enables/allows the natural oils to be removed. Once/After the wood has been pulped, the pulp is bleached in order to remove impurities. /…is bleached so that impurities can be removed. The next stage is to feed the pulp into the paper machine, where it is mixed with water and then poured onto a wire conveyor belt. As the pulp travels along the conveyor belt, the water drains away. This causes the solid material to sink to the bottom, forming a layer of paper. At this point the new paper is still wet, so it is passed between large heated rollers, which press out the remaining water and simultaneously dry the paper/…dry the paper at the same time. The final stage is to wind the paper onto large rolls./Finally, the paper is wound onto large rolls. used to emphasize that you are determined not to do something She swore that she wouldn't apologize—she'd die first! Word OriginOld English fyr(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. Idioms at first at or in the beginning I didn't like the job much at first. At first I thought he was shy, but then I discovered he was just not interested in other people. (saying) If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Which Word? firstly / first of all / at firstfirstly / first of all / at first Firstly and first (of all) are used to introduce a series of facts, reasons, opinions, etc: The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones. Firstly is more common in British English than in North American English. At first is used to talk about the situation at the beginning of a period of time, especially when you are comparing it with a different situation at a later period: Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less. come first to be considered more important than anything else In any decision she makes, her family always comes first. feet first with your feet touching the ground before any other part of your body He landed feet first. (humorous) if you leave a place feet first, you are carried out after you are dead You'll have to carry me out feet first! first and foremost more than anything else He does a little teaching, but first and foremost he's a writer. More Like This Alliteration in idiomsAlliteration in idioms belt and braces black and blue born and bred chalk and cheese chop and change done and dusted down and dirty in dribs and drabs eat somebody out of house and home facts and figures fast and furious first and foremost forgive and forget hale and hearty hem and haw kith and kin mix and match part and parcel puff and pant to rack and ruin rant and rave risk life and limb short and sweet signed and sealed spic and span through thick and thin this and that top and tail tried and tested wax and wane first and last in every way that is important; completely She regarded herself, first and last, as a musician. first come, first served (saying) people will be dealt with, seen, etc. strictly in the order in which they arrive Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. first of all before doing anything else; at the beginning First of all, let me ask you something. Language Bank processprocessDescribing a process This diagram illustrates the process of paper-making./This diagram shows how paper is made. First/First of all, logs are delivered to a paper mill, where the bark is removed and the wood is cut into small chips. Next/Second, the wood chips are pulped, either using chemicals or in a pulping machine. Pulping breaks down the internal structure of the wood and enables/allows the natural oils to be removed. Once/After the wood has been pulped, the pulp is bleached in order to remove impurities. /…is bleached so that impurities can be removed. The next stage is to feed the pulp into the paper machine, where it is mixed with water and then poured onto a wire conveyor belt. As the pulp travels along the conveyor belt, the water drains away. This causes the solid material to sink to the bottom, forming a layer of paper. At this point the new paper is still wet, so it is passed between large heated rollers, which press out the remaining water and simultaneously dry the paper/…dry the paper at the same time. The final stage is to wind the paper onto large rolls./Finally, the paper is wound onto large rolls. as the most important thing The content of any article needs, first of all, to be relevant to the reader. Which Word? firstly / first of all / at firstfirstly / first of all / at first Firstly and first (of all) are used to introduce a series of facts, reasons, opinions, etc: The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones. Firstly is more common in British English than in North American English. At first is used to talk about the situation at the beginning of a period of time, especially when you are comparing it with a different situation at a later period: Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less. first off (informal, especially British English) before anything else First off, let's see how much it'll cost. first up (British English, informal) to start with; before anything else First up is a report on the situation in Australia. head first moving forwards or downwards with your head in front of the rest of your body He fell head first down the stairs. without thinking carefully about something before acting synonym headlong She got divorced and rushed head first into another marriage. put somebody/something first to consider somebody/something to be more important than anyone/anything else She always puts her children first. safety first (saying) safety is the most important thing When cycling on the roads, remember: safety first. first noun /fɜːst/ /fɜːrst/ Idioms jump to other results the first (plural the first) the first (to do something) the person or thing that comes or happens before all other similar people or things I was the first in my family to go to college. Sheila and Jim were the first to arrive. the first [singular] the earliest The first I heard about the wedding (= the first time I became aware of it) was when I saw it in the local paper. The first I knew of a problem was around 9.30 a.m. last Monday. the first (plural the first) the first to do something the most likely I'd be the first to admit (= I will most willingly admit) I might be wrong. The poorest will be the first to suffer. Nurses are often the first to say they feel underappreciated. [countable, usually singular] first (for somebody) an important achievement, event, etc., never done or experienced before We went on a cruise, a first for both of us. This meeting between the two presidents is a historic first. Topics Successc1 (also first gear) [uncountable] the lowest gear on a car, bicycle, etc. that you use when you are moving slowly in first He stuck the car in first and revved. Extra Examples It's very difficult to find first on this car. Put the car into first and crept forward slowly. She engaged first gear and pulled off. As he moved into first the gear-lever knob came off in his hand. Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + first get into move into slam into … preposition in first See full entry [countable] first (in something) the highest level of university degree at British universities She got a first in maths at Exeter. He did Philosophy and English Literature and got a double first. compare second1, thirdTopics Educationc2 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective double verb + first be awarded gain get … preposition first in See full entry Word OriginOld English fyr(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. Idioms first among equals the person or thing with the highest status in a group He was regarded as the ‘first among equals’ by the other office clerks. from the (very) first from the beginning They were attracted to each other from the first. from first to last from beginning to end; during the whole time It's a fine performance that commands attention from first to last.
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