先 — meaning in English

English meaning

• before preposition Earlier than a particular time or event.
• first adj Coming before all others in order, rank, or time.
• first of all adverb Before anything else; used to introduce the first item in a list of points, steps or objections.
• firstly adv Used to introduce the first point in a list or argument.
• foremost adj Most important, prominent, or advanced; leading.
• initial adj Happening at the very start; first.
• late adj Arriving or happening after the expected or usual time.
• overtake verb To pass a slower vehicle, runner, or competitor ahead of you.
• pre prep Before a particular event or point in time (informal shorthand).
• preliminary adjective Coming before the main event or process; introductory.
• primordial adj Existing from the very beginning; original and fundamental.

Senses

先 is used for these senses in English:

• beat to the punch (idiomatic, transitive) To carry out an action before another person is able to do so.
• before In front of in space.
• first Before anything else; firstly.
• first of all (sequence, idiomatic) Firstly; before anything else.
• firstly (formal) In the first place; before anything else; first.
• initial Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.
• late (not comparable, euphemistic) Deceased, dead: used particularly when speaking of the dead person's actions while alive. (Generally must be preceded by a possessive or an article, commonly "the"; see usage notes. Can itself only precede the person's name, never follow it.)
• overtake To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).

before — full definition

1. preposition Earlier than a particular time or event.
2. preposition In front of, in space or in the presence of someone.
3. adverb At an earlier time; previously.
4. conjunction Earlier than the time when something happens.

first — full definition

1. adj Coming before all others in order, rank, or time.
2. adv Before anything else; ahead of other things.
3. noun Something that has never happened before.
4. noun The lowest gear of a vehicle.

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