first base

noun

Baseball.
1. the first in counterclockwise order of the bases from home plate.
2. the position of the player covering the area of the infield near first base.

first base

noun

baseball
1. the base that a runner must reach safely to score a hit, and the first of the three bases he must reach safely on the way to home plate in order to score a run
2. the fielding position nearest this base
get to first base informal.
to accomplish the first step of an undertaking

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Word History and Origins

Origin of first base¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

get to first base, Informal.
1. to succeed in the initial phase of a plan or undertaking:
  His suggestions for labor-saving techniques never got to first base.
2. to engage in petting that goes no further than kissing.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Third baseman Max Muncy sailed a ball wide to first base after collecting a ground ball near the foul line, enabling Davis to advance to second.

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Addressing collisions at first base might be next.

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Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward returns to Globe Life Field this weekend for the first time since being fired as manager of the Rangers — a year before they won the World Series.

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Cardenas got a double play to end the fifth and induced three left-handed-hitting Lancers to ground out to first base in the sixth.

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A few balls that nearly got past whoever was playing first base.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

first and last first baseman

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