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in the first place
/ɪnðə fˈɜːstplˌeɪs/
/ɪnðə fˈɜːstplˌeɪs/
in the first place
01
used to explain the main reason or starting point of a situation
Collocation
Examples
I do n't want to go in the first place, I'm tired, and secondly, I ca n't afford it.
Why hire him? In the first place, he's unqualified, and in the second, he's unreliable.
02
at the original state, plan, or intention, especially when contrasting with later outcomes
Examples
I should never have agreed in the first place.
Why did I trust someone who lied to me in the first place?
