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Glite Dictionary
first come, first served

first come, first served

3 3.2
People are helped in the order they arrive with no exceptions
  • idiom
translation icon : primero en llegar, primero en ser atendido
  • Now remember, it's first come, first served, so it pays to be out in front.
  • first come, first served basis

Examples

  • Be sure to move fast—spaces are limited and, as always, perks are first come, first served.

    Blog text (11)

  • In the clinics, patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Free, first come, first served, and no judgments as to "winner."

    Blog text (27)

  • Like I said, it's a first-come, first-served basis.

    Blog text (5)

  • Couples will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Blog text (10)

  • Seating is arranged on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The state-funded grant will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Academic text (2017)

  • We've accommodated up to 50 participants at the June retreat, but space for the monthly sessions is limited to about 15 participants - first come, first served.

    Academic text (2006)

  • First come, first served, no-cost admission: Mixed Blood holds a significant number of seats for no-cost admission on a first come, first served basis for each performance.

    Blog text (20)

  • Tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis starting tomorrow.

Synonyms

first-come-first-serve
vsfirst come, first served
  • US
3.9

People get things in the order they arrive, with no reservations

is about handling people strictly by request order with no exceptions later

Surface Forms

first come, first served main

Morphology

first + come, + first + serve

The phrase is directly compositional: 'first come' denotes whoever arrives first and 'first served' denotes being served in that order, so the overall meaning (people dealt with in arrival order) is directly derivable from the parts. This ordering logic is common across languages and uses straightforward lexical meanings ('first', 'come', 'serve'), so a B1 learner who knows those words would readily understand the expression.

Etymology

First come, first served paints a simple picture of a counter or ticket line: the people who come first are the ones who get served first. So it means 'people are helped or given something in the order they arrive'.