1.the first or highest in an ordering or series;
He wanted to be the first
2.the first element in a countable series;
the first of the month
3.the time at which something is supposed to begin;
they got an early start
4.the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed at first base
5.an honours degree of the highest class
6.the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving
7.preceding all others in time or space or degree;
the first house on the right
8.indicating the beginning unit in a series
9.serving to set in motion;
the magazine's inaugural issue
10.serving to begin;
the beginning canto of the poem
11.ranking above all others;
was first in her class
12.highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections;
first soprano
13.being the gear producing the lowest drive speed;
use first gear on steep hills
14.before anything else;
first we must consider the garter snake
15.the initial time;
when Felix first saw a garter snake
16.before another in time, space, or importance;
I was here first
17.prominently forward;
he put his best foot foremost