[first-class(1)]{adj.} 1. Of the highest class or best kind; excellent; first-rate. •/Jane did a first-class job of repairing the coat./ •/It was a first-class TV program./ Compare: TOP-NOTCH. 2. Of the best or most expensive class of travelling. •/Mr. Jones bought a first-class plane ticket to Chicago./ 3. Belonging to the class of mail for sending letters, post cards, and handwritten or typewritten mail that is sealed. •/It is expensive to send a heavy letter by first-class mail./

[first-class(2)]{adv.} With the best material; in the best or most expensive way. •/When Mr. Van Smith goes anywhere he always travels first-class./ •/"How did you send the package?" "First-class."/

[first come, first served]{truncated sent.}, {informal} If you arrive first, you will be served first; people will be waited on in the order they come; the person who comes first will have his turn first. •/Get in line for your ice cream, boys. First come, first served./ •/The rule in the restaurant is first come, first served./ •/The team’s owners announced that tickets for the World Series would be sold on a first come, first served basis only./ •/There are only a few seats left so it’s first come, first served./ Compare: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM.

[first cousin]{n.} The child of your aunt or uncle. •/Tom’s only first cousin was Ralph, the son of his Uncle John./

[first of all]{adv. phr.} Chiefly; primarily; as the first thing. •/After we get to Chicago, we will, first of all, try to find a reliable used car./

[first off]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Before anything else; first. •/First off, I want you to mow the lawn./

[first-run]{adj. phr.} Shown for the first time; new. •/The local theater showed only first-run movies./

[first stone] See: CAST THE FIRST STONE.

[first string(1)]{n.}, {informal} 1. The best group of players on a team; first team; A team. •/Dick loved basketball and practiced hard until he was put on the first string./ 2. The best group of workers. •/Tom learned his trade so well that his boss soon called him one of his first string./

[first-string]{adj.}, {informal} 1. On the starting team or A team. •/He was the first-string quarterback./ 2. Of the best quality; foremost. •/He was the least expensive of the city’s first-string lawyers./

[first thing off the bat]{adv. phr.} Immediately; at once. •/He called home from Paris first thing off the bat as he stepped off the plane./

[first things first] Other things must wait until the most important and necessary things are done. •/Study your lessons before you go out to play. First things first./

[fish] See: COLD FISH, KETTLE OF FISH, NEITHER FISH NOR FOWL, NOT THE ONLY FISH IN THE SEA, OTHER FISH TO FRY.

[fish-and-chips]{n. phr.} Fried fish and french fried potatoes. •/The family went to a drive-in restaurant and had fish-and-chips./

[fish for]{v.}, {informal} To try to get or to find out (something), by hinting or by a roundabout way to try to lead someone else to give or tell you what you want by hinting. •/Jerry was always fishing for an invitation to Bob’s house./ •/Near examination time, some of the students fish for information./

[fish for a compliment]{v. phr.} To try to make someone pay a compliment. •/When Jim showed me his new car, I could tell that he was fishing for a compliment./

[fish fry]{n.} An outdoor party or picnic at which fish are fried and eaten. •/The guests at the fish fry caught and cooked their own fish./

[fish in muddy] or [troubled waters] {v. phr.} To take advantage of a troubled or confusing situation; seek personal advantage. •/With the police disorganized after the collapse of communism in Europe, many criminals started to fish in troubled waters./

[fish or cut bait]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. Decide what you want to do and stop wasting time; either act now or give someone else a chance or turn. •/Jack couldn’t decide whether to go to college or get a job, so his father told him to fish or cut bait./ •/"Buy the kind of ice cream you want or give someone else in line a chance. Fish or cut bait!"/ Compare: MAKE UP ONE’S MIND. 2. Either try hard and do your best, or quit. •/Frank missed football practice so often that the coach told him to fish or cut bait./

[fish out of water]{n. phr.} A person who is out of his proper place in life; someone who does not fit in. •/Because Ed could not swim, he felt like a fish out of water at the beach./ •/She was the only girl at the party not in a formal dress and she felt like a fish out of water./ Compare: OUT OF ONE’S ELEMENT, OUT OF PLACE.

[fish story]{n. phr.} An unlikely or improbable tale. •/Hunters and fishermen often exaggerate their successes by telling fish stories./

[fist] See: HARD-FISTED.

[fit] See: BY FITS AND STARTS, GIVE PITS, HAVE A FIT or HAVE FITS, IF THE SHOE FITS, WEAR IT, SEE FIT also THINK FIT, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

[fit as a fiddle]{adj. phr.} In very good health. •/The man was almost 90 years old but fit as a fiddle./ •/Mary rested at home for a few weeks after her operation; then she felt fit as a fiddle./

[fit for]{v. phr.} To be suited for; be prepared for. •/"What kind of job is Ted fit for?" the social worker asked./

[fit in with]{v. phr.} To fall into agreement or accord with. •/His plans to take a vacation in early July fit in perfectly with the university schedule./

[fit like a glove]{v. phr.} To fit perfectly. •/Her new dress fits her like a glove./

[fit out] or [fit up] {v.} To give things needed; furnish. •/The soldiers were fitted out with guns and clothing./ •/The government fitted out warships and got sailors for them./ •/The house was fitted out very nicely./ •/He fitted his room up as a photographic laboratory./

[fit the bill] See: FILL THE BILL.

[fit to a T] See: TO A T.

[fit to be tied(1)]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very angry or upset. •/She was fit to be tied when she saw the broken glass./

[fit to be tied(2)]{adv. phr.}, {substandard} Very hard. — Used for emphasis. •/Uncle Willie was laughing fit to be tied at the surprised look on Mother’s face./

[five o’clock shadow]{n. phr.} A very short growth of beard on a man’s face who did shave in the morning but whose beard is so strong that it is again visible in the afternoon. •/"You have a five o’clock shadow, honey," Irene said, "and we’re going to the opera. Why don’t you shave again quickly?"/

[fix] See: GET A FIX or GIVE SOMEONE A FIX, GET A FIX ON.

[fix someone’s wagon] or [fix someone’s little red wagon] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. (Said to a child as a threat) to administer a spanking. •/Stop that right away or I’ll fix your (little red) wagon!/ 2. (Said of an adult) to thwart or frustrate another, to engineer his failure. •/If he sues me for slander, I will counter-sue him for malicious prosecution. That will fix his wagon!/

[fix someone up with]{v. phr.}, {informal} To help another get a date with a woman or man by arranging a meeting for the two. •/Say Joe, can you possibly fix me up with someone this weekend? I am so terribly lonesome!/