first

Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.

• Hancock was first to arrive.
• The first day of September 2013 was a Sunday.
• I was the first runner to reach the finish line, and won the race.

Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest.

• Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece.
• the first violinist

Of or belonging to a first family.

• First Cat; First Daughter; First Dog; First Son

Coming right after the zeroth in things that use zero-based numbering.

Before anything else; firstly.

• Clean the sink first, before you even think of starting to cook.
• I plunged nose first into the water.

For the first time.

• I first witnessed a death when I was nine years old.

The person or thing in the first position.

• He was the first to complete the course.

The first gear of an engine.

Something that has never happened before; a new occurrence.

• This is a first. For once he has nothing to say.

First base.

• There was a close play at first.

A first-class honours degree.

A first-edition copy of some publication.

A fraction whose (integer) denominator ends in the digit 1.

• one forty-first of the estate

To propose (a new motion) in a meeting, which must subsequently be seconded.

Time; time granted; respite.