1. Preceding all others in time, space or degree
   "the first day of spring"; "his first political race"; "her first baby"; "the first time";
   - 1st
    
2. Ranking above all others
   "was first in her class";
   - foremost, world-class, world-beating
    
3. Of or relating to the initial or early part of something
   "the first verse";
   - beginning
    
4. Serving to set in motion
   "his first (or maiden) speech in Congress";
   - inaugural, initiative, initiatory, maiden
    
5. (music) highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections
   "played first horn"; "first soprano"; "the first violin section"

1. Before anything else
   "first we must consider the garter snake";
   - firstly, foremost, first of all, first off [informal]
    
2. Before another in time, space, or importance
   "I was here first"; "let's do this job first"
    
3. The initial time
   "when Felix first saw a garter snake"
    
4. Prominently forward
   "She put her family's needs first";
   - foremost

1. The first or highest in an ordering or series
   "He wanted to be the first";
   - number one [informal]
    
2. The first element in a countable series
   "the first of the month";
   - number one [informal], number 1
    
3. 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)
   "The coach moved his best defensive player to first base";
   - first base
    
4. The lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving
   "He shifted into first gear to navigate the steep hill";
   - first gear, low gear, low
    
5. [Brit] An honours degree of the highest class
   "Achieving a first-class honours degree requires exceptional academic performance"; "She graduated with a first-class honours degree in physics";
   - first-class honours degree [Brit, Cdn], first-class honors degree [US]

Derived forms: firsts

See also: archetypal, archetypical, basic, best, early, eldest, firstborn, first-year, freshman [N. Amer], front, initial, introductory, opening, ordinal, original, premier, premiere, primary, prime, prototypal, prototypic, prototypical

Type of: gear, gear mechanism, honors [US], honours [Brit, Cdn], honours degree [Brit, Cdn], no., ordinal, ordinal number, position, rank

Antonym: second

Part of: auto [informal], autocar [archaic], automobile [N. Amer], baseball team, car, motor [Brit, informal], motorcar, wheel [informal], whip [US, informal]

Encyclopedia: First, You Cry