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Glite Dictionary
first up

first up

52 3.7
To say which person or thing comes first
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : primero
  • What's first up on the agenda?
  • first up tonight
  • Okay, first up
  • So, first up

Jeff, you're first up to defend the resolution.

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Examples

  • All right, first up is news out of India.

  • First up, you can sign up using your Facebook credentials or with your email address.

    Blog text (15)

  • But first up, we have our short form team.

  • So I think first up, we're going to need some coffee.

  • Hi, everybody, first up this morning:

    Missing (2023)

  • First up, first up, as always, Iowa.

  • First up, a science piece.

    The Thinning: New World Order (2018)

  • First up, the NFL Experience.

    80 for Brady (2023)

  • First up, I'm looking forward to seeing No Doubt perform on the NFL Kickoff Show.

    Blog text (31)

  • First up, let me introduce our guest speaker for today.

Synonyms

first
vsfirst up
∞ 1.0

Before anything else or at the beginning

is used to mark the initial item or topic in a sequence
first of all
vsfirst up
890 1.0

To say the first or most important point at the start of a talk

is used for any initial item or topic without stressing importance
first off
vsfirst up
  • Informal
77 2.8

To say something before you do anything else

is used for any initial item or topic not only actions
firstly
vsfirst up
50 1.0

To give the first reason or point in a list

is used for any initial item or topic in a sequence

How Early

first up
  • Informal
52 3.7
second
63 1.0
last
64 1.0

Surface Forms

first up positive

Morphology

first + up

The meaning 'the first item/person/topic in a sequence' is directly derivable from combining 'first' (preceding others) with 'up' (indicating turn or position in a sequence). This sequencing pattern (cf. 'next up') is common in English and cross-linguistically intuitive, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

First up comes from the image of the first person who is up to perform or speak, like the first batter or actor on stage. So first up now means the person or item that goes first in a list or order.