in the first place, adv.
freq. cnt. 11
freq. cnt. 11
before now
<adv.all> freq. cnt.: 11 freq. cnt.: 6 freq. cnt.: 3 freq. cnt.: 1 freq. cnt.: 1
earlier in the beginning in the first place originally to begin with
sample sentences
"why didn't you tell me in the first place?"
of primary import
<adv.all> freq. cnt.: 5 freq. cnt.: 5
in the first place primarily
sample sentences
"this is primarily a question of economics""it was in the first place a local matter"