In the first place
Example: I should have told you in the first place about the meeting.
Definition
"In the first place" is an adverbial phrase used to indicate the initial reason, priority, or cause for something. It often emphasizes the original point or decision, as in the example: I should have told you in the first place about the meeting.
Etymology
The phrase "in the first place" comes from the idea of ranking or ordering events or reasons, with 'first place' implying the foremost position. It has been used in English since at least the 16th century to highlight what should be considered first or primarily.
Learn to use this expression actively
"In the first place" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (B1) - set 1", containing 123 commonly used expressions.
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