first base
14
3.1
- noun
- /fɜrst beɪs/
- US
:
primera base
- We want you to play first base for the Oakland A's.
- first base tag
Examples
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Joe David is still on first base.
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You're supposed to pick it up throw the guy out at first base, okay?
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Coach, I never played first base in my life.
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Can he even handle first base at his age, let alone hit?
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If I was on first base...
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The Tigers have the winning run at first base.
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Collins' last time up grounded out to first base.
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Beginning tomorrow, I intend to play at first base for the Baltimore Orioles.
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Brandon Moss had never played first base, and he ends up as our first baseman.
Blog text (31) -
The player swiftly dashed toward first base after hitting the ball.
Synonyms
The player who stands at the base nearest home plate in baseball
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'first' (initial) and 'base' (a starting point or foundation) combine to yield the sense 'initial stage', so a learner who knows both words can often infer the meaning. However, the usage is metaphorical and rests on a baseball-derived notion of 'base' as a stage; that cultural/specific sense may not be immediately obvious to all B1 learners, making the relation only partially predictable.
Etymology
First base was used for the fielding spot because the player stands next to the first base to catch throws and make the out, so the name refers to that 'position' on the field.