/fɜ:st; fɝst/
det
1 (a) 1st; coming before all others in time, order, importance, etc 第一的; 最初的; 最早的; 最先的; 首要的
*the first public performance of the play 该剧的首次公演
* his first wife 他的第一个妻子
* their first baby 他们的第一个孩子
* her first job 她的第一份工作
* students in their first year at college 学院一年级学生
* at first light, ie dawn 黎明
* at the first (ie earliest) opportunity 一有机会
* the first signs that winter isapproaching 冬天来临的最初迹象
* one's first impression/reaction 最初的印象[反应]
* She won first prize in the competition. 她在竞赛中获一等奖.
* King Edward I (ie said as `King Edward the First') 英王爱德华一世
* go back to first (ie basic) principles 回到基本的原则上
* of the first importance 最重要的
* the first violins, ie in an orchestra 第一小提琴手（管弦乐队中的）
* Your first duty is to your family. 你的首要责任是照顾家庭.
(b) never having happened or been experienced before 初次的
*It was the first time they had ever met. 那是他们初次会面.
* his first real taste of success 他对成功的初次真实感受. Cf 参看 last1 1. =>App
4 见附录4.
2 (idm 习语) first/last/next but one, two, three, etc
*Take the first turning but one (ie the second turning) on your left. 在第二个路口向左转.
* I live in the last house but two (ie the third house from the end) in this street. 我住在这条街上倒数第三座房子里. first/last thing=> thing. ,first things `first (saying 谚) the most important or necessary duties or concerns must be dealt with before others 最重要的事要先做. (For other idioms containing first, see the entries for the other major words in each idiom 查阅含有first一词的其他习语, 见这类习语中含有其他主要词的词条, 如 at first glance/sight => glance; not have the first idea about sth => idea.)

/fɜ:st; fɝst/
adv
1 (a) before anyone or anything else; at the beginning 第一; 最初; 最先
*Susan came into the room first. 苏珊第一个来到屋子里.
* Who came first in the race? ie Who won? 谁赛跑得第一?
* Ladies first, ie said by a man, allowing a woman to enter a room, car, etc before he does. 女士先请（男子请女子先进屋、先上车等时说的话）.
(b) before another event or time 先; 首先
*First I had to decide what to wear. 首先我得决定穿什么衣服.
* Think first, then act. 先想清楚再行动.
* `Have some tea.' `I'll finish my work first.' ｀喝点茶吧.＇｀我先把工作做完再说.＇ Cf 参看 last2.
2 for the first time 第一次; 首次
*When did you first meet him? 你第一次见他是什么时候?
* The play was first performed in Paris. 此剧首次在巴黎公演.
* When he first arrived in this country, he couldn't speak any English. 他刚到这个国家时, 一句英语也不会说.
3 (in giving a list) to begin with （用于列举事项）第一, 首先
*This method has two advantages
*first it is cheaper and second(ly) it is quicker. 这个方法有两个优点
*一是较便宜, 二是较迅速. =>Usage 见所附用法.
4 in preference to sth else 宁愿; 宁可
*He said he'd resign first, eg rather than compromise his principles. 他说他宁愿辞职（例如也不愿在原则上妥协）.
5 (idm 习语) at `first at or in the beginning; initially 起初; 当初
*At first I thought he was shy, but then I discovered he was just not interested in other people. 起初我还以为他很　腆, 後来我才发觉他是不爱理人.
* (saying 谚) If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. 一次不成功, 那就再接再厉地干下去. come `first be considered as more important than anything else 首先要考虑到的
*You know that your wife and children come first. 你要知道首先要考虑的是你的妻子儿女. ,first and `foremost more than anything else; firstly and most importantly 比什么都重要; 首要的
*He does a bit of writing, but first and foremost he's a teacher. 他也写一些文章, 但他主要是个教师. ,first and `last (fml 文) taking everything into account; completely 考虑到一切因素; 完全地
*He was a real gentleman, first and last. 从各方面来看, 他都是个正人君子. ,first `come, ,first `served (saying 谚) people will be dealt with, seen, etc strictly in order of their arrival or application 先来後到. ,first of `all before (doing) anything else; initially; most importantly 首先; 最初; 首要
*First of all she just smiled, then she started to laugh. 最初她只是微笑, 後来才放声大笑.
* Well, first of all we can't possibly spare the time. 你看, 最主要的是我们实在抽不出时间. first `off (infml 口) before anything else 首先
*First off, let's see how much it'll cost. 首先, 让我们看看要花多少钱.head first => head1. last in, first out => last2. put sb/sth `first consider sb/sth to be more important than anyone/anything else 把某人[某事物]放在首位
*put one's career, reputation, children first 把事业、名誉、儿女放在首位. see sb in hell first => hell.

NOTE ON USAGE 用法
*When ordering items in a list, first(ly), second(ly), third(ly), etc are put at the beginning of the sentence or clause. 在列举项目时, 要将first(ly)、second(ly)、third(ly)等词置于句子或从句之首. They are usually followed by a comma. 在这些词後面通常用逗号. Some speakers prefer first to firstly 有些人说话时愿用first而不用firstly
*There are three reasons for my resignation. First(ly), I am dissatisfied with my wages; secondly, the hours are too long; and thirdly, there is little chance of promotion. 我辞职有三个原因. 一是我对工资不满意; 二是工作时间太长; 三是几乎没有晋升机会. Alternatively, first, second, third, etc could be used. 在上述这类句子中也可使用first、second、third等.

/fɜ:st; fɝst/
n, pron
1 the first first person or thing mentioned or occurring （提到的或出现的）第一个人或事物
*Sheila was the first to arrive. 希拉是第一个到达的.
* I'm the first in my family to go to university. 我是我们家第一个上大学的.
* I'd be the first to admit (ie I will most willingly admit) I might be wrong. 我愿第一个承认我可能错了.
* The first I heard about the firm closing down (ie The first time I became aware of it) was when George told me. 我最初听到公司倒闭的消息是乔治告诉我的.
2 [C] (infml 口) notable achievement, event, etc never done or experienced before （以前从未有过的）显着成就、事件等
*a real first for the German team 德国队的创举.
3 [C] ~ (in sth) (Brit) university degree of the highest class （大学学位的）最高成绩, 优等
*She got a first in maths at Exeter. 她在埃克塞特大学数学系毕业, 获一级荣誉学位.
4 [U] lowest gear on a car, bicycle, etc （汽车, 自行车等的）最低挡
*go up the hill in first gear 挂一挡上山坡.
5 (idm 习语) from the (very) `first from the beginning 一开始
*I found the idea attractive from the first, and now I'm convinced its the only solution. 一开始我就感到这主意很不错, 现在我深信这是唯一的解决方法. from ,first to `last from beginning to end; throughout 自始至终; 始终; 一贯.