Lexic.us

Definition of First

1. Adverb. Before anything else. "First we must consider the garter snake"

2. Adjective. Preceding all others in time or space or degree. "The first phase of his training"

3. Noun. The first or highest in an ordering or series. "He wanted to be the first"

4. Adverb. The initial time. "When Felix first saw a garter snake"

5. Adjective. Indicating the beginning unit in a series.

6. Noun. The first element in a countable series. "The first of the month"

7. Adverb. Before another in time, space, or importance. "Let's do this job first"

8. Adjective. Serving to set in motion. "The liner's maiden voyage"

9. Noun. The time at which something is supposed to begin. "She knew from the get-go that he was the man for her"

10. Adverb. Prominently forward. "He put his best foot foremost"

11. Adjective. Serving to begin. "The first verse"

12. Noun. 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).

13. Adjective. Ranking above all others. "The top graduate"

14. Noun. An honours degree of the highest class.

15. Adjective. Highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections. "Played first horn"

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

Definition of First

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

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

Definition of First

1. Adjective. Of or pertaining to the executive of a particular nation or state. ¹

2. Adjective. Having no predecessor. The ordinal number corresponding to one. ¹

3. Adverb. Before anything else; firstly. ¹

4. Noun. The person or thing in the first position. ¹

5. Noun. The first gear of an engine. ¹

6. Noun. Something that has never happened before; a new occurrence. ¹

7. Noun. (countable baseball) first base ¹

8. Noun. (countable British colloquial) A first-class honours degree. ¹

9. Noun. (countable colloquial) A first-edition copy of some publication. ¹

10. Noun. A fraction of an integer ending in one. Oneth. ¹

11. Noun. (obsolete) Time; time granted; respite. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of First

1. something that precedes all others [n -S]

Medical Definition of First

1. 1. 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. Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others. 3. most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece. at first blush. See Blush. At first hand, from the first or original source; without the intervention of any agent. "It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yourself." (Dickens) First coat The first year's whole profits of a benefice or spiritual living. The earliest effects or results. "See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung From thy implanted grace in man!" (Milton) First mate, an officer in a merchant vessel next in rank to the captain. First name, same as Christian name. See Name, First officer, the watch from eight to twelve at midnight; also, the men on duty during that time. First water, the highest quality or purest luster; said of gems, especially of diamond and pearls. Synonym: Primary, primordial, primitive, primeval, pristine, highest, chief, principal, foremost. Origin: OE. First, furst, AS. Fyrst; akin to Icel. Fyrstr, Sw. & Dan. Forste, OHG. Furist, G. Furst prince; a superlatiye form of E. For, fore. See For, Fore, and cf. Formeer, Foremost. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of First

firmosses firms firmth firmware firmwares firmwide firn firns firren firrier

firriest firring firrings firry firs first-aid first-aid box first-aid boxes first-aid kit first-aid station

first-aider first-chance exception first-chance exceptions

Literary usage of First

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle by Aristotle, Thomas William Lancaster (1884)
"This chapter consists of three parts: the first of which opens the subject ... The superiority of this science over all others is apparent, first, ..."

2. Capital: A Critique of Political Economy by Karl Marx (1906)
"... The Process of Capitalist Circulation. Its first German edition did not appear until May, 1885, almost 18 years after the first volume. ..."

3. The Religious Instruction of the Negroes in the United States by Charles Colcock Jones (1842)
"PA RT I. Historical Sketch of the Religious Instruction of the Negroes from their first introduction into the Country in to the year. CHAPTER. ..."

4. Schubert by Edmondstoune Duncan (1905)
"Biographical Birth and parentage—A friendly joiner's apprentice—first lessons— Schubert enters the Convict—Extract from Schubert's first letter— Music at ..."

5. A Monograph on the Isopods of North America by Harriet Richardson (1905)
"HI, Pleopod of female, n, first leg of male, o, first antenna of male. ;>, Dorsal view of ... <i, first leg of female. t>. first antenna. c, Second antenna ..."

6. The Elements of Moral Science by Francis Wayland (1856)
"The first question which presents itself is, What is moral law ? Let us then inquire, first, what Is law; and, secondly what is ..."

7. The Greatness and Decline of Rome by Guglielmo Ferrero, Sir Alfred Eckhard Zimmern, Henry John Chaytor (1909)
"CHAPTER I CESAR'S first YEAR IN GAUL Caesar's first blunder and first success in Gaul—The negotiations with the Helvetii—the Helvetian trek—Caesar's first ..."

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