fɝst fɜːst kəˈmɛnsmənt ˈfɜɹstli ˈfɔː.məʊst ˈfɔː.məʊst ɪˈnɪʃətɪv ləʊ loʊ ˈmeɪdən ˈɒf.sɛt ˈɑf.sɛt wɜː(ɹ)ldˈklæs before anything else first we must consider the garter snake the initial time when Felix first saw a garter snake ranking above all others was first in her class the foremost figure among marine artists prominently forward he put his best foot foremost before another in time, space, or importance I was here first let's do this job first 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) serving to begin the beginning canto of the poem the first verse serving to set in motion the magazine's inaugural issue the initiative phase in the negotiations an initiatory step toward a treaty his first (or maiden) speech in Congress the liner's maiden voyage preceding all others in time or space or degree the first house on the right the first day of spring his first political race her first baby the first time the first meetings of the new party the first phase of his training highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections first soprano the first violin section played first horn the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving an honours degree of the highest class the first element in a countable series the first of the month the first or highest in an ordering or series He wanted to be the first 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