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Adjective: first  furst
  1. Preceding all others in time, space or degree
  2. Indicating the beginning unit in a series
    - 1st
  3. Serving to set in motion
    "his first (or maiden) speech in Congress";
    - inaugural, initiative, initiatory, maiden
  4. Of or relating to the initial or early part of something
    "the first verse";
    - beginning
  5. Ranking above all others
    "was first in her class";
    - foremost, world-class, world-beating
  6. (music) highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections
Adverb: first  furst
  1. Before anything else
    "first we must consider the garter snake";
    - firstly, foremost, first of all, first off
  2. The initial time
    "when Felix first saw a garter snake";
    - for the first time
  3. Before another in time, space, or importance
  4. Prominently forward
    "he put his best foot first";
    - foremost
Noun: first  furst
  1. The first or highest in an ordering or series
    "He wanted to be the first";
    - number one
  2. The first element in a countable series
    "the first of the month";
    - number one, number 1
  3. The time when something begins
    - beginning, commencement, outset, get-go [N. Amer], start, kickoff, starting time, showtime, offset
    - first base
  5. [Brit] An honours degree of the highest class
    - first-class honours degree [Brit, Cdn], first-class honors degree [US]
    - first gear, low gear, low

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, point, point in time, position, rank

Antonym: last, second


Encyclopedia: First, do no harm