first
/fɜːst/- coming before all others in time or order; earliest; 1st最先; 最早; 第一：
his first wife
他的第一位妻子
the first of five daughters
五个女儿中的第一个女儿
many valuable drugs have been recognized first as poisons.
许多珍贵的药物最初都被人当做毒药。
- never previously done or occurring以前从未做过（或发生过）的：
her first day at school.
她上学的第一天。
- coming next after a specified or implied time or occurrence（某一时间或某事后的）紧接着来到的：
I didn't take the first bus.
我没有乘坐首班车。
- met with or encountered before any others最早（或最先）遭遇到的：
the first house I came to.
我来到的第一家人家。
- before doing something else specified or implied（在做其他事情以前）先, 首先：
Do you mind if I take a shower first?
我先冲个澡, 行吗？
- for the first time首次, 初次, 第一次：
she first picked up a guitar out of sheer boredom.
因为百无聊赖, 她破天荒地拿起了吉他。
- firstly; in the first place (used to introduce a first point or reason)首先, 第一（用来引出第一个观点或原因）：
first, it is wrong that the victims should have no remedy.
首先, 受害者不应补偿的主张是不对的。
- in preference; rather (used when strongly rejecting a suggestion or possibility)（用于坚决拒绝某个建议或可能性时）宁可, 宁愿：
she longed to go abroad, but not at this man's expense - she'd die first!
她渴望出国, 但不想用这个男人的钱——死也不想！
- with a specified part or person in a leading position以身体的某一部位（或某人）在先（或为首）：
it plunged nose first into the river.
它先把鼻子浸到了水里。
- informal the first occurrence of something notable〈非正式〉首次发生的事：
we travelled by air, a first for both of us.
我们乘飞机旅行了, 这对我俩都还是头一回。
- the first in a sequence of a vehicle's gears（机动车排挡的）头挡：
he stuck the car in first and revved.
他把车挂在头挡, 然后开始加速。
- Baseball first base【棒球】第一垒：
he made it all the way home from first.
他成功地从第一垒跑回了本垒。
- chiefly Brit. the first form of a school or college〈主英〉（学校、学院的）一年级。
- a first edition of a book（书的）第一版。
- foremost in position, rank, or importance（职位或地位）最高的; 首要的, 最重要的, 第一位的：
the doctor's first duty is to respect this right
医生的首要职责是尊重这种权力
career women who put work first
将工作放在第一位的职业妇女
football must come first.
足球必须放在首位。
- often with infinitive the most likely, pressing, or suitable最有可能的; 最迫切的; 最合适的：
his first problem is where to live
他的首要问题是去何处居住
he is the first to admit he was not the best of patients.
他是最有可能承认自己不是最好病人的人。
- the first finisher or position in a race or competition（比赛或竞赛的）第一名; 领先者。
- in titles having precedence over all others of a similar kind（同类中职务或职称）领先于所有其他人的, 比其他人都高的：
First Lord of the Admiralty.
（英国）海军大臣。
- Music performing the highest or chief of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice【乐】演唱（或演奏）高声部的：
the first violins.
第一声部小提琴。
- Brit. a place in the top grade in an examination, especially that for a degree〈英〉（尤指学位考试中的）优等, 最高分; 第一名：
chaps with firsts from Oxbridge.
获得牛津和剑桥两所大学最高分的小伙子们。
- Brit. a person having achieved such a degree〈英〉优等生。
the firsts
the best or main team of a sports club（体育俱乐部的）甲级队; 主力队。
firsts
goods of the best quality一等品; 优等品：factory firsts, seconds, and discontinued styles.
工厂的一等品、二等品和已不再流行的款式。
at first
- at the beginning; in the initial stage or stages起先, 起初, 开始时：
at first Hugo tried to be patient.
开始时, 雨果想忍耐一下。
at first glance
- 见
GLANCE1 .
at first hand
at first instance
- 见INSTANCE.
at first sight
- 见SIGHT.
the first among equals
- 见EQUAL.
first blood
- 见BLOOD.
first come, first served
- used to indicate that people will be dealt with strictly in the order in which they arrive or apply先到者先受款待（表示严格按先后次序办事）：
tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.
售票实行先来者先售予的原则。
first and foremost
- most importantly; more than anything else首要的是, 首先：
Delhi was first and foremost a barracks town.
德里首先是一座兵营城。
first and last
- fundamentally; on the whole从根本上说, 总的来说：
museums are first and last about curatorship.
博物馆的好坏从根本上说与其馆长的能力有关。
first of all
- before doing anything else; at the beginning首先; 第一次：
first of all, let me ask you something.
首先, 让我问你点事情。
- most importantly最重要的是：
German unity depends first of all on the German people.
德国的统一首先要靠德国人民。
first off
- informal, chiefly N. Amer. as a first point; first of all〈非正式, 主北美〉首先, 第一：
first off, I owe you a heck of an apology.
首先, 我真的应该向你道歉。
first past the post
- (of a contestant, especially a horse, in a race) winning a race by being the first to reach the finishing line（参赛者, 尤指赛马）因第一个到达终点线而获胜。
- attrib. Brit. denoting an electoral system in which a candidate or party is selected by achievement of a simple majority〈英〉（指选举制度）以简单多数票当选的：
our first-past-the-post electoral system.
我们以简单多数票当选的选举制度。
first thing
- early in the morning; before anything else一大早; 要做的第一件事：
I have to meet Josh first thing tomorrow.
我明天一大早就得去接乔希。
first things first
- used to assert that important matters should be dealt with before other things急事急办。
first up
- first of all首先, 第一。
- Austral./NZ at the first attempt〈澳/新西兰〉在作第一次尝试时。
from the (very) first
- from the beginning or the early stages从一开始; 从早期：
he should have realized it from the first.
他一开始就应当认识到这一点。
from first to last
- from beginning to end; throughout从头至尾, 自始至终; 彻底地, 完全地：
it's a fine performance that commands attention from first to last.
这是一场精彩的演出, 自始至终抓住了观众的注意力。
get to first base
- 见BASE1.
in the first place
- as the first consideration or point首先, 第一：
political reality was not quite that simple - in the first place, divisions existed within the parties.
政治现实远非那么简单——首先, 党内存在着分歧。
- at the beginning; to begin with (especially in reference to the time when an action was being planned or discussed)在开始时; 最初; 起初（尤指行动尚在计划或讨论时）：
I should have told you in the first place.
我本应一开始就告诉你的。
of the first order（或magnitude）
- used to denote something that is excellent or considerable of its kind头等的, 最高级的; 头等重要的：
it is a media event of the first order.
这是头等新闻事件。
of the first water
- 见WATER.