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in the first degree

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Definition of in the first degree

: of the most serious type : deserving the harshest punishment She was accused of murder in the first degree.

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in the (first) flush of

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“In the first degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20first%20degree. Accessed 6 Dec. 2021.

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