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Glite Dictionary
first port of call

first port of call

1 3.9
The first place you go to for help or information
  • idiom
translation icon : primer recurso
  • I will definitely be making it my first port of call for B&W from now on!

But in that moment, your first port of call is stability.

Examples

  • Although patients will be reviewed regularly at their local rheumatology unit, you will often be the first port of call for someone experiencing an exacerbation of symptoms.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Allergy UK provides an extensive range of PDF information leaflets for sufferers and should be the first port of call before leaving the UK.

    Academic text (2012)

  • But in that moment, your first port of call is stability.

    Dodge Woodall

  • NHS and independent hospitals would be your first port of call.

    Blog text (9)

  • At the first port of call, I try to find a local bakery or chocolate shop and bring back a sweet treat for the front desk people.

    Blog text (8)

  • There's no doubt about it, LinkedIn should be the first port of call for any pre-interview research.

    Blog text (2)

  • Your first port of call should be your practice IG lead, often the practice manager, who is responsible for ensuring the practice complies with good IG.

    Academic text (2011)

  • In the prevention of cardiovascular disease, statins remain the first port of call for lipid-lowering therapy, unless they are not tolerated.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Some of the best features of general practice—that it is familiar, nearby, and accessible—mean that people often visit the surgery as the first port of call when they feel unwell.

    Academic text (2012)

  • When looking for career advice, the university's career center is often my first port of call.

Synonyms

go-to resource
vsfirst port of call
  • Informal
1 4.0

A place, website, or person you often use for trusted information

is the initial place visited when seeking help or information

Surface Forms

first port of call singular
first ports of call plural

Morphology

first + port + of + call

The phrase derives from a nautical metaphor (a ship's 'port of call' = a place it stops), and 'first' naturally marks it as the initial place to go; thus there is a clear compositional logic. However, the specific noun sense 'call' = 'a stop/visit' and the idiomatic nautical use of 'port' are not the most salient meanings for a B1 learner, so the overall sense is only partially predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

First port of call is a phrase from ships that made stops on a journey: a 'port of call' was a place where a ship stopped, and the first one was its first stop. So, calling something your first port of call means it is the first place you go for 'help' or 'information'.