The noun first has 6 senses (first 4 from tagged texts)
1. (9) first, number one -- (the first or highest in an ordering or series; "He wanted to be the first")
2. (5) first, number one, number 1 -- (the first element in a countable series; "the first of the month")
3. (1) beginning, commencement, first, outset, get-go, start, kickoff, starting time, showtime, offset -- (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")
4. (1) first base, 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))
5. first, first-class honours degree -- (an honours degree of the highest class)
6. first gear, first, low gear, low -- (the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving)
Overview of adj first
The adj first has 7 senses (first 5 from tagged texts)
1. (236) first -- (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")
2. (62) first, 1st -- (indicating the beginning unit in a series)
3. (4) inaugural, initiative, initiatory, first, maiden -- (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")
4. (4) beginning, first -- (serving to begin; "the beginning canto of the poem"; "the first verse")
5. (3) first, foremost, world-class -- (ranking above all others; "was first in her class"; "the foremost figure among marine artists"; "the top graduate")
6. first -- (highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections; "first soprano"; "the first violin section"; "played first horn")
7. first, low -- (being the gear producing the lowest drive speed; "use first gear on steep hills")
Overview of adv first
The adv first has 4 senses (first 4 from tagged texts)
1. (59) first, firstly, foremost, first of all, first off -- (before anything else; "first we must consider the garter snake")
2. (40) first, for the first time -- (the initial time; "when Felix first saw a garter snake")
3. (9) first -- (before another in time, space, or importance; "I was here first"; "let's do this job first")
4. (4) foremost, first -- (prominently forward; "he put his best foot foremost")