1. Ordinal Number: This is the most common meaning. "First" refers to the number one in a sequence or series.
* Example: "The first day of the week is Monday."
2. Primary or Most Important: "First" can also indicate something is the most important or primary.
* Example: "My first priority is to finish this project."
3. Initial or Beginning: It can also refer to the start or beginning of something.
* Example: "The first chapter of the book was exciting."
4. Before Others: Sometimes "first" implies something occurred before other things.
* Example: "They arrived first at the party."
5. Unique or Only: In some cases, "first" means the only or the sole instance.
* Example: "She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics."
6. Ranking: In a competition or ranking system, "first" indicates the highest position or achievement.
* Example: "The team finished first in the tournament."
The specific meaning of "first" will be clear from the context in which it is used.