first attempt

23 1.9

A first try to do something new

noun

: primer intento

I think for a first attempt, we did well.
first attempt to represent
one of the first attempts
first attempt to study

I think for a first attempt, we did well.

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Examples

And clearly the first attempt was a complete disaster in every way, shape and form.
This is Nate's first attempt at parking the RV.
Sorry, this is his first attempt at writing back to her.
On day two, we were ready to make our first attempt at contact.

Malibu Horror Story (2023)
This is our first attempt.

The Midas Touch (2020)
Actually, it's my first attempt.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
To my knowledge, this study represents the first attempt at investigating this important subject.

Academic text (2003)
The present study is the first attempt to explore the SCM from a sport marketing perspective.

Academic text (2008)
I'm no balloon expert, but it's not bad for a first attempt, aye?

Crispy's Curse (2017)
Considering all factors, it was a strong result for our first attempt at organizing the event.

Synonyms

first time

vsfirst attempt

∞ 1.0

An occasion when someone does or experiences something they have not done before

refers to the initial effort made to do it rather than the occasion

Antonyms

last-ditch

23 7.0

A final attempt to succeed when nothing else works

How Early

first attempt

23 1.9

second chance

223 2.3

Surface Forms

first attempt singular

first attempts plural

Morphology

first + attempt

The phrase 'first attempt' is directly compositional: 'first' (initial) modifies 'attempt' (an act of trying), so the meaning 'initial effort' is immediately derivable from the constituents. This adjective+noun pattern is common across languages and standard in English, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE.

Etymology

First attempt is a simple picture: the first time you attempt something is your early try, often full of mistakes but also learning. So it means 'the initial try'.