first thing

Idioms and Phrases

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 .

Example Sentences

“When you say Christmas, the first thing that typically comes to your mind isn’t strippers,” he quips.

From Los Angeles Times

The first thing I do in the show is get down on my knees.

From Los Angeles Times

The first thing to draw in is the terminator line.

From National Geographic Kids

The first thing on her mind when she got the news was making friends with other people living with autism, people she felt might truly understand her for the first time in her life.

From BBC

The first thing Salah's friend said to her, she recalls, was: "Hi Helen, how are you this morning?"

From BBC