firstordinal number, determiner
uk/ˈfɜːst/us/ˈfɝːst/A1 (a person or thing) coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:
B2 in or at the beginning (of a series of events):
as the first attempt or effort:
at the earliest time in the day:
More 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.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
First and firstly
- at first idiom
- begin
- debut
- first come, first served idiom
- firstly
- for starters idiom
- from the word go idiom
- in the first/second place idiom
- inaugural
- initial
- initially
- introduction
- maiden
- originally
- prefatory
- primary
- proto-
- starter
- to begin with idiom
- word
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
firstadverb
uk/ˈfɜːst/us/ˈfɝːst/A1 before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance:
B1 for the first time:
A2 also firstly used at the beginning of a list of things you want to say or write:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Before, after and already
- advance
- afore
- afterwards
- already
- ante
- as it is idiom
- following
- formerly
- front
- gone
- heretofore
- immediate
- in advance idiom
- in advance of sth/sb idiom
- later
- prologue
- shortly
- subsequent
- successor
- thereafter
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
firstnoun
uk/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:
from the beginning:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
First and firstly
- at first idiom
- begin
- debut
- first come, first served idiom
- firstly
- for starters idiom
- from the word go idiom
- in the first/second place idiom
- inaugural
- initial
- initially
- introduction
- maiden
- originally
- prefatory
- primary
- proto-
- starter
- to begin with idiom
- word
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first noun (NEVER BEFORE)
C2 [ S ] something that has never happened or been done before:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Always & never
- again
- all along idiom
- all-time
- along
- always
- ever
- hell
- in all my (born) days idiom
- in/through all the years idiom
- invariably
- kingdom
- month
- perpetual
- perpetually
- till/until kingdom come idiom
- till/until the cows come home idiom
- time
- when hell freezes over idiom
- will
- world
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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 noun (VEHICLE)
[ U ] also first gear (in a vehicle) the gear used when starting to drive forward or when driving up a steep hill
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
The engine & engine parts
- battery
- carburettor
- cutout
- flywheel
- idle
- motorized
- pickup
- piston
- plug
- power steering
- radiator
- rev
- silencer
- sump
- suspension
- tailpipe
- tappet
- throttle
- transmission
- universal joint
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first noun (BASEBALL)
[ C usually singular ] informal → first base