first*/*/*/

[fɜːst]

grammar word summary: First can be: ■ a number: This is the first car I've ever owned. ■ a pronoun: Her second husband was much older than her first. ■ an adverb: First, I want to explain the purpose of this meeting. ■ a noun: That visit was a first for me.

1) before any others coming, happening, or starting before any others

What was your first job?[/ex]

This will be Kenny's first trip overseas.[/ex]

Julia got there first.[/ex]

He's had a lot of girlfriends, but Lucy was the first.[/ex]

Take the first turning on the right.[/ex]

He cooked me a meal, which was a first (= he had never done it before).[/ex]

2) before doing other things before you do something else

First, let's go around the room and introduce ourselves.[/ex]

Can't I just finish reading this article first?[/ex]

3) at the beginning at the beginning of a period of time, a situation, an activity etc

When I first started running, I could do a mile in nine minutes.[/ex]

The first few days of our holiday were wonderful.[/ex]

4) most important used for referring to the main or most important thing

His first love was music.[/ex]

Our first consideration must be the safety of the passengers.[/ex]

My children will always come first.[/ex]

5) best in a competition better than anyone or anything else in a game, competition etc

Phil Gray came first in the under-12 section.[/ex]

His painting won first prize in a competition.[/ex]

6) university degree in the UK and Australia, the highest mark for an UNDERGRADUATE degree from a college or university

He got a first in maths from Imperial College.[/ex]

•

at first — in the beginning, before something changes[/ex]

At first he wouldn't even talk about it.[/ex]

at first sight / glance — when you first see something or find out about something, before you know more details[/ex]

At first glance, the theory seems to make a lot of sense.[/ex]

sb's first choice — the thing or person that someone likes more than all the others[/ex]

first come, first served — used for saying that if you arrive before other people you will be served or dealt with before them[/ex]

first of all — spoken 1) used for introducing the first of several things that you are going to say[/ex]

First of all, I'd like to give you a little background information.[/ex]

— 2) before doing anything else

First of all, clean the surface that you are going to paint.[/ex]

first thing (in the morning) — early in the morning[/ex]

first thing (in the morning) — at the very beginning of the day[/ex]

first things first — used for saying that the most important things should be dealt with before anything else[/ex]

in the first place — 1) used for stating the most basic reason for something[/ex]

I'm not going because, in the first place, I can't afford it.[/ex]

— 2) at the beginning of a situation

If you don't like her, why invite her in the first place?[/ex]

make the first move — to take action before anyone else[/ex]