第一（个人或事物）　first person or thing mentioned or occurring

　first　作为序数词用时，意为“第一（个、批），头一〔几〕个”，常和定冠词连用。

　I'm the first in our village to go to university.　我是我们村第一个上大学的。
　The first is better than the second.　第一个比第二个好。
　This second event was contemporary with the first.　第二个事件和第一个事件发生在同一时代。

 ♣ at first
　起初，当初　at or in the beginning
　At first, he was against our arrangement, but I managed to argue him round.　起初，他反对我们的安排，但我设法使他改变了看法。
 ♣ from the first
　从头，从一开始　from the beginning
　It was evident from the first that he never intended to carry out his promise.　他不打算履行诺言从一开始就是很明显的。

1. 第一，最早，首先　before anything else; before the others
2. 首次　 for the first time
3. 宁愿　more willingly

　First, let me deal with the most important difficulty.　首先，让我来处理最为重要的问题。
　Modern music was first developed in Italy.　现代音乐最初是在意大利发展起来的。
　When we first lived here there were no buses.　我们最初住在这里的时候，没有公共汽车。
　All mothers fear for their children when they first leave home.　孩子初次出门，母亲总要为之担心。
　I'll never allow you to do that; I'll die first!　我绝不允许你做那种事，我宁愿死！

 ♣ first and foremost
　首要的　more than anything else
　He was a singer, but first and foremost a scholar.　他是个歌手，但他主要是一位学者。
 ♣ first and last
　考虑到一切因素；完全地　taking everything into account; completely
　First and last, it is important to know oneself.　总而言之，人要有自知之明。
 ♣ first of all
　首先　before doing anything else
　First of all, you should know what profession suits you.　首先，你该知道什么职业适合你。
 ♣ first or last
　迟早　sooner or later
　I know that this would happen, first or last.　我知道这事迟早会发生。

 ♣ first of all, above all, in the first place
　参见above条。

　在表示逐项说明一系列的事实或情况的第一项时，可用first，也可用firstly. 例如：
　First(ly), she has to look after the children; second(ly), she has to cook meals; third(ly), she has to clean the house.　第一，她必须照看小孩；第二，她必须做饭；第三，她必须打扫房间。

1. A 第一的；最初的；最早的；最先的；第一流的；最重要的　 coming before all others in time, order, importance, etc.
2. 一点也不　not even one

　～ aid　急救
　～ importance　头等重要
　～ light　天刚亮时
　～ name　名字
　～ person〔place, time〕　第一人称〔名，次〕
　～ principles　基本原理
　stand ～ in the class　在班上名列第一

　Do you know when the first artificial satellite of America was launched?　你知道美国的第一颗人造卫星是什么时候发射的吗?
　It was the first time I had ever been in a plane.　那是我第一次乘坐飞机。
　Freshmen have military training for a month from the beginning of the first term.　新生在第一学期一开始就有为期一个月的军训。
　As for your hope of winning the first prize, I don't know about that.　至于说到你希望获头奖，对此我没有多大把握。
　He is the first actor of China.　他是中国第一流的演员。
　It is of the first importance.　此事头等重要。
　The first duty of the state is to ensure that law and order prevail.　政府的首要职责是确保治安高于一切。
　He didn't feel glad for the first few days.　在最初几天里他并未感到高兴。
　For tomorrow I want you to do the first six problems.　我要你明天做前六个问题。
　The two men over there are his two first cousins.　在那里的两个人是他的嫡亲兄弟。
　I haven't the first idea of what you mean.　我一点也不懂你的意思。

　She is first in her class.　她是班上的第一名。

　［同义词］ adv. foremost, primarily adj. basic, chief, earliest, primary
　［反义词］ adv. & adj. last
　［词源］古英语fyrest（最初的，第一流的）