in the first instance

idiom

formal
: before other events happen : as the first thing in a series of actions
You will be seen in the first instance by your own doctor who may then send you to a specialist.

Dictionary Entries Near in the first instance

in the (first) flush of

in the first instance

in the first place

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Cite this Entry

“In the first instance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20first%20instance. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

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