Meaning & Definition of First in English
First
noun
1. The first or highest in an ordering or series
- "He wanted to be the first"
- first,
- number one
2. The first element in a countable series
- "The first of the month"
- first,
- number one,
- number 1
3. 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"
- beginning,
- commencement,
- first,
- outset,
- get-go,
- start,
- kickoff,
- starting time,
- showtime,
- offset
4. 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)
- first base,
- first
5. An honours degree of the highest class
- first,
- first-class honours degree
6. The lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle
- Used to start a car moving
- first gear,
- first,
- low gear,
- low
adjective
1. 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"
- first
2. Indicating the beginning unit in a series
- first,
- 1st
3. 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"
- inaugural,
- initiative,
- initiatory,
- first,
- maiden
4. Serving to begin
- "The beginning canto of the poem"
- "The first verse"
- beginning(a),
- first
5. Ranking above all others
- "Was first in her class"
- "The foremost figure among marine artists"
- "The top graduate"
- first,
- foremost,
- world-class
6. Highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections
- "First soprano"
- "The first violin section"
- "Played first horn"
- first
adverb
1. Before anything else
- "First we must consider the garter snake"
- first,
- firstly,
- foremost,
- first of all,
- first off
2. The initial time
- "When felix first saw a garter snake"
- first,
- for the first time
3. Before another in time, space, or importance
- "I was here first"
- "Let's do this job first"
- first
4. Prominently forward
- "He put his best foot foremost"
- foremost,
- first