first base

noun

1

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

2

: the player position for defending the area around first base

3

: the first step or stage in a course of action

plans never got to first base

first baseman

-ˈbā-smən 

noun

Examples of first base in a Sentence

a runner on first base

She hit a ground ball to first base.

He used to be a catcher, but now he plays first base.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rizzo, running out a groundball, collided with Bernardino at first base after the pitcher dropped a throw in the seventh inning of Boston’s 9-3 win. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 June 2024

The first two Sooners reached base against him, but Van Emon got out of it with the help of a double play ball, with a close call at first base reversed in UConn’s favor. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2024

The rowdy fans in the UCLA section seated behind the first base line waved their blue-and-gold pompoms as Ramsey Suarez stepped into the batter’s box. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024

Charlie Blackmon followed by bouncing a double down the first base line to put runners at second and third with two outs. —Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 2 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

first base

noun

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

also : the position of the player defending the area around first base