First (Noun)
Meaning 1
The first or highest in an ordering or series; "He wanted to be the first".
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- She was the first in her family to graduate from college.
- The first prize was awarded to the winner of the contest.
- He was determined to be the first to cross the finish line.
- The first position in the rankings is highly coveted among competitors.
- She wanted to be the first to know when the new product was released.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
The first element in a countable series; "the first of the month".
Classification
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure.
Examples
- The first of the month is always the busiest day for bill payments.
- She was the first in her family to attend college.
- The first of the new employees started work today.
- The first of the three acts of the play was the most exciting.
- The first of the summer months is always the hottest.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
The lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The driver shifted into first and slowly released the clutch to start moving up the steep hill.
- When starting from a standstill, it's best to use first gear to get the car rolling.
- The car's first gear was very low, making it easy to drive in heavy traffic.
- She put the car in first and inched forward, trying not to stall the engine.
- The truck's first gear was so low that it was almost impossible to stall the engine.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
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).
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The manager chose to place the player with the best range and glove work at first.
- First was vacated by the injury, so the coach had to make some adjustments to the lineup.
- The runner rounded the base and slid into first, narrowly avoiding being tagged out.
- After several years of playing third base professionally, she was moved to first due to a knee injury.
- First base was an easy play, so the infielder shifted to his left to get the putout.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 5
An honours degree of the highest class.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- She graduated with a first in Physics from Cambridge University.
- He received a first in English Literature and went on to become a renowned author.
- The young woman was awarded a first in Mathematics from Oxford, an achievement that drew national media attention.
- A first in Computer Science from a top-tier university is highly sought after by top tech companies.
- Achieving a first in Law requires a high level of academic dedication and commitment to studying.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 6
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".
Classification
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations.
Examples
- The concert is scheduled to start at the first, so don't be late.
- The first of the meeting was spent reviewing the agenda.
- We need to arrive at the first to get a good seat.
- The first of the play was a bit confusing, but it got better later.
- The first of the party was 7pm, but the music didn't start until 9.