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in the first place


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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
first /fɜrst/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. being before all others with respect to time, order, rank, importance, etc.:I was the first guest to arrive.
  2. Automotive low (def. 18):[before a noun]When we put the car in first gear it stalls.

adv. 
  1. before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.:We arrived first.
  2. before some other thing, event, etc.:Clean up your room first.
  3. for the first time:We first met in the library stacks.
  4. in preference to something else;
    rather;
    sooner:I'd die first.

n. 
  1. the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.:[countable* singular: the + ~]I was the first to arrive.
  2. the beginning:[uncountable]At first, we were nervous.
  3. something that happens for the first time:[countable* usually singular: a + ~]It was a first for me.
  4. Automotive low gear in an automotive vehicle:[uncountable]She shifted into first and drove off.
Idioms
  1. Idioms at first sight, at once;
    immediately:It was love at first sight.
  2. Idioms, Informal Terms first off, at the outset;
    immediately:First off, why are you here?
  3. Idioms first thing, before anything else:We caught the train first thing in the morning.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
first  (fûrst),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. being before all others with respect to time, order, rank, importance, etc., used as the ordinal number of one: the first edition;
    the first vice president.
  2. Music and Dancehighest or chief among several voices or instruments of the same class:first alto; first horn.
  3. Automotivelow (def. 31).
  4. (often cap.) being a member of the household or an intimate acquaintance of the president of the U.S. or of the governor of a state:the First Lady; Checkers, the first dog.
  5. Idioms first thing, before anything else;
    at once;
    promptly:I'll call you first thing when I arrive.

adv. 
  1. before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.
  2. before some other thing, event, etc.:If you're going, phone first.
  3. for the first time:She first visited Atlanta in 1980.
  4. in preference to something else;
    rather;
    sooner:I'd die first.
  5. in the first place;
    firstly.
  6. Idioms first and last, everything considered;
    above all else;
    altogether:First and last, it is important to know oneself.
  7. first off, [Informal.]at the outset;
    immediately:He wanted to know first off why he hadn't been notified.

n. 
  1. the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.
  2. the beginning.
  3. the first part;
    first member of a series.
  4. Music and Dance, Informal Terms
    • the voice or instrument that takes the highest or chief part in its class, esp. in an orchestra or chorus.
    • a leader of a part or group of performers.
  5. Automotivelow gear;
    first gear:She shifted into first and drove off.
  6. the winning position or rank in a race or other competition.
  7. Sport[Baseball.]See first base. 
  8. BusinessUsually, firsts. [Com.]
    • Businessa product or goods of the first or highest quality.
    • Businessgoods produced according to specifications, without visible flaws. Cf. second1 (def. 23), third (def. 12).
  9. Education[Brit. Univ.]
    • first-class honors. Cf. class (def. 18).
    • a person who has won such honors.
  • bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English fyr(e)st (see fore1, -est); cognate with German Fürst prince
first′ness, adj. 

first, +adj. 
  1. (often cap.) being a member of the household or an intimate acquaintance of the president of the U.S. or of the governor of a state: the First Lady;
    Checkers, the first dog.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
first / fɜːst/ (usually prenominal)
  1. coming before all others; earliest, best, or foremost
  2. (as noun): I was the first to arrive
  3. preceding all others in numbering or counting order; the ordinal number of one. Often written: 1st
  4. rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels
  5. denoting the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle
  6. denoting the highest part assigned to one of the voice parts in a chorus or one of the sections of an orchestra: first soprano, the first violins
  7. denoting the principal player in a specific orchestral section: he plays first horn
  8. first thing ⇒ as the first action of the day: I'll see you first thing tomorrow
  9. first things first ⇒ things must be done in order of priority
  10. the first thing ⇒ (in negative constructions) even one thing: he doesn't know the first thing about me
  1. the beginning; outset: I knew you were a rogue from the first, I couldn't see at first because of the mist
  2. an honours degree of the highest class
    Full term: first-class honours degree
  3. something which has not occurred before: a first for the company
  4. the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle; low gear
  5. the highest part in a particular section of a chorus or orchestra
  6. the instrument or voice taking such a part
  7. the chief or leading player in a section of an orchestra; principal
  1. before anything else in order, time, preference, importance, etc: do this first, first, remove the head and tail of the fish
  2. first and last ⇒ on the whole; overall
  3. from first to last ⇒ throughout
  4. for the first time: I've loved you since I first saw you
  5. (sentence modifier) in the first place or beginning of a series of actions: first I want to talk about criminality
Etymology: Old English fyrest; related to Old Saxon furist, Old Norse fyrstr, German Fürst prince, one who is first in rank
'in the first place' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
begin - first - firstly - imp - imprimis - originally - place - start - starter

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