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first thing

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first

  [furst]
Use first thing in a Sentence
–adjective
1. being before all others with respect to time, order, rank, importance, etc., used as the ordinal number of one: the first edition; the first vice president.
2. Music. highest or chief among several voices or instruments of the same class: first alto; first horn.
3. Automotive. low (def. 31).
4. (often initial capital letter) being a member of the household or an intimate acquaintance of the president of the U.S. or of the governor of a state: the First Lady; Checkers, the first dog.
–adverb
5. before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.
6. before some other thing, event, etc.: If you're going, phone first.
7. for the first time: She first visited Atlanta in 1980.
8. in preference to something else; rather; sooner: I'd die first.
9. in the first place; firstly.
–noun
10. the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.
11. the beginning.
12. the first part; first member of a series.
13. Music.
a. the voice or instrument that takes the highest or chief part in its class, esp. in an orchestra or chorus.
b. a leader of a part or group of performers.
14. Automotive. low gear; first gear: She shifted into first and drove off.
15. the winning position or rank in a race or other competition.
16. Baseball. first base.
17. Usually, firsts. Commerce.
a. a product or goods of the first or highest quality.
b. goods produced according to specifications, without visible flaws. Compare second 1 (def. 23), third (def. 12).
18. British University.
a. first-class honors. Compare class (def. 18).
b. a person who has won such honors.
—Idioms
19. first and last, everything considered; above all else; altogether: First and last, it is important to know oneself.
20. first off, Informal. at the outset; immediately: He wanted to know first off why he hadn't been notified.
21. first thing, before anything else; at once; promptly: I'll call you first thing when I arrive.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE fyr(e)st (see fore 1 , -est ); c. G Fürst prince

Related forms:
firstness, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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first   (fûrst)   
n.  

  1. The ordinal number matching the number one in a series.

  2. The one coming, occurring, or ranking before or above all others.

  3. The beginning; the outset: from the first; at first.

  4. Music The voice or instrument highest in pitch or carrying the principal part.

  5. The transmission gear or corresponding gear ratio used to produce the range of lowest drive speeds in a motor vehicle.

  6. The winning position in a contest: finished the season in first.

  7. Baseball

    1. First base.

    2. A first baseman.

adj.  

  1. Corresponding in order to the number one.

  2. Coming before all others in order or location: the first house on your left.

  3. Occurring or acting before all others in time; earliest: the first day of spring.

  4. Ranking above all others, as in importance or quality; foremost: was first in the class.

  5. Music Being highest in pitch or carrying the principal part: first trumpet.

  6. Of, relating to, or being the transmission gear or corresponding gear ratio used to produce the range of lowest drive speeds in a motor vehicle.

  7. Of, related to, or being a member of the U.S. president's household: first daughter Amy Carter.

adv.  

  1. Before or above all others in time, order, rank, or importance: arrived first; forgot to light the oven first.

  2. For the first time.

  3. Rather; preferably: would die first.

  4. In the first place; to begin with. See Usage Note at firstly.


[Middle English, from Old English fyrst; see per1 in Indo-European roots.]
thing   (thĭng)   
n.  

  1. An entity, an idea, or a quality perceived, known, or thought to have its own existence.

    1. The real or concrete substance of an entity.

    2. An entity existing in space and time.

    3. An inanimate object.

    4. Law That which can be possessed or owned. Often used in the plural: things personal; things real.

    5. things Possessions; belongings: packed her things and left.

    6. An article of clothing: Put on your things and let's go.

    7. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.

    8. The result of work or activity: is always building things.

    9. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).

    10. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.

  3. Something referred to by a word, a symbol, a sign, or an idea; a referent.

  4. A creature: the poor little thing.

  5. An individual object: There wasn't a thing in sight.

    1. Law That which can be possessed or owned. Often used in the plural: things personal; things real.

    2. things Possessions; belongings: packed her things and left.

    3. An article of clothing: Put on your things and let's go.

    4. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.

    5. The result of work or activity: is always building things.

    6. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).

    7. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.

  7. things The equipment needed for an activity or a special purpose: Where are my cleaning things?

  8. An object or entity that is not or cannot be named specifically: What is this thing for?

    1. An act, deed, or work: promised to do great things.

    2. The result of work or activity: is always building things.

    3. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).

    4. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.

  10. A thought, a notion, or an utterance: What a rotten thing to say!

  11. A piece of information: wouldn't tell me a thing about the project.

  12. A means to an end: just the thing to increase sales.

  13. An end or objective: In blackjack, the thing is to get nearest to 21 without going over.

  14. A matter of concern: many things on my mind.

  15. A turn of events; a circumstance: The accident was a terrible thing.

    1. things The general state of affairs; conditions: "Beneath the smooth surface of things, something was wrong" (Tom Wicker).

    2. A particular state of affairs; a situation: Let's deal with this thing promptly.

  17. Informal A persistent illogical feeling, as a desire or an aversion; an obsession: has a thing about seafood.

  18. Informal The latest fad or fashion; the rage: Drag racing was the thing then.

  19. Slang An activity uniquely suitable and satisfying to one: Let him do his own thing. See Synonyms at forte1.


[Middle English, from Old English.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

first 
O.E. fyrst "foremost," superl. of fore, from P.Gmc. *furisto (cf. O.H.G. furist, O.N. fyrstr, Dan. første, O.Fris. fersta, M.Du. vorste "first," Ger. Fürst "prince"), superl. of *fur-/*for-, from PIE *pro- (cf. Skt. pura "before, formerly," Eng. fore). First-class (1858) "is from the universities via the railways" [Weekley]; first-rate (1666) is from classes of warships in the British navy. First aid is that given at the scene, pending the arrival of a doctor; firsthand is attested from 1732. First lady "wife of a U.S. president" seems to have been first used in 1948.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

first (fûrst)
adj.

  1. Coming before all others in order or location.

  2. Occurring or acting before all others in time; earliest.

  3. Being the innermost digit, especially on a foot.

first n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Idioms & Phrases

first thing

Before anything else; without delay. For example, Tom was supposed to call him first thing in the morning. [Late 1500s] Also see under first and foremost; first off.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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