first
ordinal number,determiner
uk/ˈfɜːst/us/ˈfɝːst/firstordinal number,determiner(BEFORE ALL OTHERS)
A1
(apersonor thing) coming before allothersinorder,time,amount,quality, orimportance:
第一（的）；首先；最初；首要（的）This is my firstvisitto New York.这是我第一次到纽约。
Ifellinlovewith himthefirsttimeIsawhim.我对他一见钟情。
I'm alwaysnervousfor the firstfewminutesof anexam.考试开始的头几分钟我总是很紧张。
Today isthefirst (ofAugust).今天是（8月）1号。
in the first place
B2
in or at thebeginning(of aseriesofevents):
最初，原本Thetrousersshrankwhen Iwashedthem, but they weren't reallybigenough in the firstplace.这条长裤洗过后缩水了，但是它原本就不够大。
in the first instanceUK
as the firstattemptoreffort:
首先Enquiries about thepostshould beaddressedin the firstinstanceto thepersonnelmanager.询问职位事宜应该首先咨询人事经理。
of the first order
to a verygreatdegreeor of anextremelygoodkind:
It is adiplomaticscandalof the firstorder.
first thing
at theearliesttimein theday:
一大早He said he'dcallback first thingtomorrow.他说明天一大早他会回电话的。
- Youroll/throwthediceand whoever gets thehighestscoregoes first.
- Their firstbabyisdueinJanuary.
- When did you firstencounterthesedifficulties?
- I wasamazedtohearthat Chris hadwonfirstprize.
- Yesterday thecompanyannounceditsfirsteverfallinprofits.
First and firstly
- at first blushidiom
- at firstidiom
- begin
- blush
- debut
- first come, first servedidiom
- from the word goidiom
- front end
- in thefirst/secondplaceidiom
- inaugural
- initial
- initially
- place
- prefatory
- primary
- proto-
- prototypical
- starter
- to begin withidiom
- word
firstordinal number,determiner(MUSIC)
[before noun]musicspecialized
in agroupofmusiciansorsingers,relatingto thehighestorhigherinstrument,voice, orpart:
Shesingsfirstsopranoin theschoolchoir.
He is thebestfirsttrumpetplayerin thebusiness.
Unusually, the firstaltoshave thetune.
Musicians
- accompanist
- arranger
- artist
- bandleader
- bandmaster
- crossover
- drum major
- drummer
- emcee
- fiddler
- muso
- non-musician
- oboist
- one-hit wonder
- one-man band
- sight-reader
- soloist
- timpanist
- trombonist
- trumpeter
Grammar
First,firstlyorat first?
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:…Idioms
be in the first flush of
first things first
first
adverb
uk/ˈfɜːst/us/ˈfɝːst/A1
before allothersinorder,time,amount,quality, orimportance:
第一，首先Tomcamefirst in therace.汤姆在比赛中获得第一。
Whofinishedfirst?谁先完成的？
If you gethomefirst, can youfeedthecat?你如果先到家，能喂一下猫吗？
B1
for the firsttime:
第一次，初次When did you firstmeeteach other?你们初次见面是什么时候？
Thecompanywas still verysmallwhen I firstjoined.我最初加入时，这家公司还很小。
A2(alsofirstly)
used at thebeginningof alistof things youwantto say or write:
首先（用于想说或想写的一连串事物的开头）First, Iwanttothankmyparents.首先，我要感谢我的父母。
First(of all)(= before anythingelse), I'd like toaskyou a fewquestions.首先，我想问你几个问题。
Firstoff(= before anythingelse),letmeintroducemyself.首先，我来介绍一下自己。
Before, after and already
- advance
- afore
- afterwards
- already
- ante
- as it isidiom
- before
- heel
- immediate
- in advanceidiom
- in advance ofsomething/someoneidiom
- in the wake ofsomethingidiom
- next
- prior
- prologue
- quondam
- second-wave
- secondarily
- secondary
- wake
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
First and firstly
Grammar
First,firstlyorat first?
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:…Idioms
at first
come first
first among equals
first and foremost
first and last
first come, first served
putsomeone/somethingfirst
first
noun
uk/ˈfɜːst/us/ˈfɝːst/firstnoun(THING/PERSON)
B1[S]
the firstpersonor thing to do or be something, or the firstpersonor thingmentioned:
第一个（做某事的）人；头一件（发生或提及的）事[+ to infinitive]She wasone of thefirsttoarrive.她是第一批抵达的人之一。
He isthefirst(= verywilling)toadmitthat much of hissuccessisdueto his goodlooks.他非常愿意承认，他的成功很大程度上归功于他帅气的外表。
Tonightseesthe first of threedocumentariesaboutcancer.今晚播放有关癌症的三部纪录片中的第一部。
from the (very) first
from thebeginning:
从一开始I'veopposedtheproposalfrom the very first.我从一开始就反对那项提议。
First and firstly
- at first blushidiom
- at firstidiom
- begin
- blush
- debut
- first come, first servedidiom
- from the word goidiom
- front end
- in thefirst/secondplaceidiom
- inaugural
- initial
- initially
- place
- prefatory
- primary
- proto-
- prototypical
- starter
- to begin withidiom
- word
firstnoun(MUSIC)
[C]musicspecialized
In agroupofmusiciansorsingers, a first is apersonwhoplaysorsingsthehighestor ahigherpart:
The secondviolinswereseatedon therightsideof thestage,oppositethe firsts.
She's usually a first but today she'ssingingsecond.
Musicians
- accompanist
- arranger
- artist
- bandleader
- bandmaster
- crossover
- drum major
- drummer
- emcee
- fiddler
- muso
- non-musician
- oboist
- one-hit wonder
- one-man band
- sight-reader
- soloist
- timpanist
- trombonist
- trumpeter
firstnoun(NEVER BEFORE)
C2[S]
something that has neverhappenedor been done before:
从未有过的事，开创先例的事This newsurgicaltechniqueisafirstfor(= has never been done before in)thehospital.这种外科手术新技术在这家医院是首次应用。
Always & never
- again
- all alongidiom
- all-time
- along
- always
- aye
- ever
- fail
- hell
- in all my (born) daysidiom
- in/through all the yearsidiom
- invariably
- kingdom
- month
- on demandidiom
- perpetual
- perpetually
- till/until kingdom comeidiom
- till/until the cows come homeidiom
- whenever
firstnoun(QUALIFICATION)
[C]UK(alsofirst-class degree)
thebestpossibleundergraduateuniversitydegreeyou can get in the UK and some othercountries:
（英国大学学位）最高成绩，优等成绩She has a firstinEnglishfrom Newcastle University.她从纽卡斯尔大学毕业，获英语一级优等学位。
Marks & results
- 2:1
- 2:2
- A, a
- B, b
- C, c
- class
- formative
- GPA
- grade boundary
- grade-point average
- honor student
- mark
- pass
- pass mark
- pass rate
- passing grade
- positivity
- second class
- straight-A
- third
firstnoun(VEHICLE)
[U](alsofirst gear)
(in avehicle) thegearused whenstartingtodriveforwardor whendrivingup asteephill
（车辆的）第一挡，一挡The engine & engine parts
- air filter
- alternator
- anti-roll
- antifreeze
- biting point
- brake
- cam
- carburation
- catalytic converter
- choke
- combustion chamber
- disc brake
- distributor
- drive shaft
- gasket
- internal combustion engine
- neutral
- plug
- suspension
- turbocharger
firstnoun(BASEBALL)
[Cusually singular]informal
another word forfirst base:
Icaughttheballandcalmlysteppedon first.
There wererunnerson first and third with nobody out.
Grant Faint/Photolibrary/GettyImages
Baseball & rounders
- at batidiom
- ballgame
- ballplayer
- base hit
- bases
- doctor
- fish
- flare
- fly
- foul
- frame
- peg
- pitcher
- second base
- shag
- shortstop
- slugger
- sock
- stickball
- strike