at the first sign

phrase

: as soon as something happens that indicates an action or event has begun to take place

The bartender called the police at the first sign of trouble.

At the first sign of spring she planted annuals in her flower beds.

Examples of at the first sign in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Apply neem or horticulture oil according to label directions at the first sign of the disease. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026

Jason Baer, the lawyer who’d shared several cases with Motta, began the process of withdrawing as co-counsel at the first sign of a federal investigation. — Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

Saline rinses at the first sign of congestion can prevent mouth breathing from hardening into habit. — Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2026

Creswell stresses that runners should be on the lookout for this and sit down at the first sign of dizziness. — Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026

Rhymes for at the first sign

• aconitine
• anopheline
• antipyrine
• bromocriptine
• chlorhexidine
• clomipramine
• creatinine
• desipramine
• guanethidine
• heterodyne
• imipramine
• meperidine