in the first instance

prepositional phrase

As the first step or stage; first.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. As the first step or stage; first.

    Work on the muskeg resulted in the formation in the first instance, and later in lengths of newly-laid track disappearing without trace into the treacherous bog.

    1959 March 28, “New Railways in Quebec”, in Railway Magazine, page 202

Translations

Dutch in eerste instantie
  • in eerste instantieas the first step
French en premier lieu
  • en premier lieuas the first step
German in erster Instanz
  • in erster Instanzas the first step
Italian in prima battuta
  • in prima battutaas the first step
Russian в пе́рвую о́чередь
  • в пе́рвую о́чередь (v pérvuju óčeredʹ)as the first step
Ukrainian в пе́ршу че́ргу, у пе́ршу че́ргу
  • в пе́ршу че́ргу (v péršu čérhu)as the first step
  • у пе́ршу че́ргу (u péršu čérhu)as the first step
Cite this entry
APA

in the first instance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20first%20instance

MLA

“in the first instance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20first%20instance. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the first instance,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20first%20instance.

Source: in the first instance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.