First
First (fẽrst) , adjective
[Old English first, furst, Anglo-Saxon fyrst; akin to Icelandic fyrstr, Swedish & Danish forste, Old High German furist, German furst prince; a superlatiye form of English for, fore. See For, Fore, and compare Formeer, Foremost.]
1.
Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest; as, the first day of a month; the first year of a reign.
2.
Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others.
3.
Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest; as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece.
It is the intention of the person to reveal it at first hand, by way of mouth, to yourself.
See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung
From thy implanted grace in man!
First (fẽrst) , adverb
Before any other person or thing in time, space, rank, etc.; -- much used in composition with adjectives and participles.
Adam was first formed, then Eve.
And all are fools and lovers first or last.
Collocations (2)
At first or At the first , at the beginning or origin.
First or last , at one time or another; at the beginning or end.
First , noun
(Music) The upper part of a duet, trio, etc., either vocal or instrumental; -- so called because it generally expresses the air, and has a preeminence in the combined effect.