1. (

• first ,
• number_one

) the first or highest in an ordering or series; "He wanted to be the first" ;

2. (

• first ,
• number_one ,
• number_ ,

) the first element in a countable series; "the first of the month" ;

3. (

• beginning ,
• commencement ,
• first ,
• outset ,
• get-go ,
• start ,
• kickoff ,
• starting_time ,
• showtime ,
• offset

) 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" ;

4. (

• first_base ,
• first

) 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) ;

5. (

• first ,
• first-class_honours_degree

) an honours degree of the highest class ;

6. (

• first_gear ,
• first ,
• low_gear ,
• low

) the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving ;

1. (

• first

) 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" ;

2. (

• first ,
• 1st

) indicating the beginning unit in a series ;

3. (

• inaugural ,
• initiative ,
• initiatory ,
• first ,
• maiden

) 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" ;

4. (

• beginning ,
• first ,

) serving to begin; "the beginning canto of the poem"; "the first verse" ;

5. (

• first ,
• foremost ,
• world-class

) ranking above all others; "was first in her class"; "the foremost figure among marine artists"; "the top graduate" ;

6. (

• first ,

) highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections; "first soprano"; "the first violin section"; "played first horn" ;

1. (

• first ,
• firstly ,
• foremost ,
• first_of_all ,
• first_off

) before anything else; "first we must consider the garter snake" ;

2. (

• first ,

) the initial time; "when Felix first saw a garter snake" ;

3. (

• first ,

) before another in time, space, or importance; "I was here first"; "let's do this job first" ;

4. (

• foremost ,
• first ,

) prominently forward; "he put his best foot foremost" ;