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)

before anything else

“first we must consider the garter snake”

the first or highest in an ordering or series

“He wanted to be the first”

an honours degree of the highest class

highest in pitch or chief among parts or voices or instruments or orchestra sections

“first soprano”

preceding all others in time or space or degree

“the first house on the right”

indicating the beginning unit in a series

serving to set in motion

“his first (or maiden) speech in Congress”

serving to begin

“the first verse”

the time at which something is supposed to begin

ranking above all others

“was first in her class”

prominently forward