Definitions for First
fɜrstFirst

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. first, number onenoun

   the first or highest in an ordering or series

   "He wanted to be the first"

2. first, number one, number 1noun

   the first element in a countable series

   "the first of the month"

3. beginning, commencement, first, outset, get-go, start, kickoff, starting time, showtime, offsetnoun

   the time at which something is supposed to begin

   "they got an early start"; "she knew from the get-go that he was the man for her"

4. first base, firstnoun

   the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed at first of the bases in the infield (counting counterclockwise from home plate)

5. first, first-class honours degreenoun

   an honours degree of the highest class

6. first gear, first, low gear, lowadjective

   the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving

7. firstadjective

   preceding all others in time or space or degree

   "the first house on the right"; "the first day of spring"; "his first political race"; "her first baby"; "the first time"; "the first meetings of the new party"; "the first phase of his training"

8. first, 1stadjective

   indicating the beginning unit in a series

9. inaugural, initiative, initiatory, first, maidenadjective

   serving to set in motion

   "the magazine's inaugural issue"; "the initiative phase in the negotiations"; "an initiatory step toward a treaty"; "his first (or maiden) speech in Congress"; "the liner's maiden voyage"

10. beginning(a), firstadjective

    serving to begin

    "the beginning canto of the poem"; "the first verse"

11. first, foremost, world-classadjective

    ranking above all others

    "was first in her class"; "the foremost figure among marine artists"; "the top graduate"

12. firstadverb

    highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections

    "first soprano"; "the first violin section"; "played first horn"

13. first, firstly, foremost, first of all, first offadverb

    before anything else

    "first we must consider the garter snake"

14. first, for the first timeadverb

    the initial time

    "when Felix first saw a garter snake"

15. firstadverb

    before another in time, space, or importance

    "I was here first"; "let's do this job first"

16. foremost, firstadverb

    prominently forward

    "he put his best foot foremost"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. firstnoun

   The person or thing in the first position.

   He was the first to complete the course.

2. firstnoun

   The first gear of an engine.

3. first

   Something that has never happened before; a new occurrence.

   This is a first. For once he has nothing to say.

4. first

   first base

   There was a close play at first.

5. first

   A first-class honours degree.

6. first

   A first-edition copy of some publication.

7. first

   A fraction of an integer ending in one. Oneth.

   One forty-first of the estate.

8. firstnoun

   Time; time granted; respite.

9. firstadverb

   Before anything else; firstly.

10. firstadjective

    Having no predecessor. The ordinal number corresponding to one.

11. Firstadjective

    Of or pertaining to the executive of a particular nation or state.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. FIRSTadjective

   Etymology: first, Saxon.

   1. The ordinal of one; that which is in order before any other.

   Thy air,
   Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.
   —— A third is like the former. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   In the six hundreth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth. Gen. viii. 13.

   Arms and the man I sing, the first who bore
   His course to Latium from the Trojan shore. Æn.

   2. Earliest in time.

   The first covenant had also ordinances of divine service. Heb. ix. i.

   I find, quoth Mat, reproof is vain!
   Who first offend, will first complain. Matthew Prior.

   3. Highest in dignity.

   Three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Dan.

   First with the dogs, and king among the squires. Spect.

   4. Great; excellent.

   My first son,
   Where will you go? Take good Cominius
   With thee. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

2. Firstadverb

   1. Before any thing else; earliest.

   He, not unmindful of his usual art,
   First in dissembled fire attempts to part;
   Then roaring beasts and running streams he tries. Dryden.

   Thy praise, and thine was then the publick voice,
   First recommended Guiscard to my choice. Dryden.

   Heav’n, sure, has kept this spot of earth uncurst,
   To shew how all things were created first. Matthew Prior.

   2. Before any other consideration.

   First, metals are more durable than plants; secondly, they are more solid and hard; thirdly, they are wholly subterraneous; whereas plants are part above earth, and part under the earth. Francis Bacon, Natural History, №. 603.

   3. It has often at before it, and means at the beginning.

   At first the silent venom slid with ease,
   And seiz’d her cooler senses by degrees. John Dryden, Æn.

   Excepting fish and insects, there are very few or no creatures that can provide for themselves at first, without the assistance of parents. Richard Bentley, Sermons.

   4. First or last. At one hour or other.

   But sure a general doom on man is past,
   And all are fools and lovers first or last. Dryden.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Firstadjective

   preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest; as, the first day of a month; the first year of a reign

2. Firstadjective

   foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others

3. Firstadjective

   most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece

4. Firstadverb

   before any other person or thing in time, space, rank, etc.; -- much used in composition with adjectives and participles

5. Firstnoun

   the upper part of a duet, trio, etc., either vocal or instrumental; -- so called because it generally expresses the air, and has a preeminence in the combined effect

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. First

   fėrst, adj. foremost: preceding all others in place, time, or degree: most eminent: chief.—adv. before anything else, in time, space, rank, &c.—adjs. First′-begot′ten, begotten or born first: eldest; First′-born, born first.—n. the first in the order of birth: the eldest child.—adj. First′-class, of the first class, rank, or quality.—ns. First′-day, Sunday; First′-floor (see Floor); First′-foot (Scot.), the first person to enter a house after the beginning of the new year; First′-fruit, First′-fruits, the fruits first gathered in a season: the first profits or effects of anything, bishoprics, benefices, &c.—adj. First′-hand, obtained without the intervention of a second party.—n. First′ling, the first produce or offspring, esp. of animals.—adv. First′ly, in the first place.—adjs. First′-rate, of the first or highest rate or excellence: pre-eminent in quality, size, or estimation; First′-wa′ter, the first or highest quality, purest lustre—of diamonds and pearls. [A.S. fyrst; the superl. of fore by adding -st.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. first

   The appellation of the senior lieutenant; also, senior lieutenant of marines, and first captain of a gun.

Matched Categories

1. • Honours
   • Ordinal Number
   • Point In Time
   • Position
   • Rank

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'First' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #79

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'First' in Written Corpus Frequency: #146

Anagrams for First »

1. frist

2. rifts

How to pronounce First?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say First in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of First in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of First in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of First in a Sentence

1. Former President Jimmy Carter:

   I've liked Pete Buttigieg since I first met Pete Buttigieg. Year before last we built houses for Habitat for Humanity in South Bend, Indiana, because Pete Buttigieg was there, we got to know Pete Buttigieg then and I've liked Pete Buttigieg ever since.

2. Barbara Bradley Baekgaard:

   The Kappa [ Kappa Gamma women's sorority ] house at Michigan State, Kappa Gamma women kind of brag that Kappa Gamma women started the company, kappa Gamma women were Barbara Bradley Baekgaard first test market, and it just grew from there.

3. Simon Cauchemez:

   Our analysis strongly supports the hypothesis that Zika virus infection during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of microcephaly.

4. Kate Andersen:

   There's never been any first lady as stubborn and defiant as Melania Trump.

5. Martin Reeves:

   If the child is too upset to be reflective, the first step might be dealing with their sadness.

Popularity rank by frequency of use