The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (190 page)
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FIRST come, first served
Cf. late 13th-cent. Fr.
qui ainçois vient au molin ainçois doit moldre
, he who comes first to the mill may grind first.
c
1390
Wife of Bath's Prologue
1. 389
Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt.
1548
Complaint of Roderick Mors
xvii.
Ye haue a parciall lawe in making of tachments [attachments, i.e. judicial seizure of one's person or goods (obsolete)], first come first serued.
1608
Nest of Ninnies
D1
He found Sexton .. making nine graues .. and who so dyes next, first comes, first seru'd.
1763
Letter
19 Oct. in
Travels
(1766) I. viii.
[T]he traveller who comes first shall be first served.
1819
Montrose
in
Tales of my Landlord
3rd Ser. IV. xii.
All must .. take their place as soldiers should, upon the principle of, first come, first served.
1979
Sunflower
v.
In London they formed polite queues .. a nice orderly version of first come, first served.
1998
Washington Post
28 Jan. D6
[M]any other Americans feel their jobs give them the privilege of suspending the democratic ideal of ‘first come, first served.’
orderliness
qui ainçois vient au molin ainçois doit moldre
, he who comes first to the mill may grind first.
c1390
Wife of Bath's Prologue
1. 389
Whoso that first to mille comth, first grynt.
1548
Complaint of Roderick Mors
xvii.
Ye haue a parciall lawe in making of tachments [attachments, i.e. judicial seizure of one's person or goods (obsolete)], first come first serued.
1608
Nest of Ninnies
D1
He found Sexton .. making nine graues .. and who so dyes next, first comes, first seru'd.
1763
Letter
19 Oct. in
Travels
(1766) I. viii.
[T]he traveller who comes first shall be first served.
1819
Montrose
in
Tales of my Landlord
3rd Ser. IV. xii.
All must .. take their place as soldiers should, upon the principle of, first come, first served.
1979
Sunflower
v.
In London they formed polite queues .. a nice orderly version of first come, first served.
1998
Washington Post
28 Jan. D6
[M]any other Americans feel their jobs give them the privilege of suspending the democratic ideal of ‘first come, first served.’
orderliness
The FIRST duty of a soldier is obedience
The last quotation presents a variation of the proverb.
1847
Romance of War
IV. xv.
‘What do the wiseacres at head-quarters mean, in sending a detachment there?’ ‘I suppose they scarcely know themselves. But obedience—We all know the adage.’
1872
Satanella
II. xxiv.
‘The first duty of a soldier is obedience,’ he answered in great glee.
1915
Good Soldier
III. iii.
She had been taught all her life that the first duty of a woman is to obey.
obedience
;
soldiers
1847Romance of War
IV. xv.
‘What do the wiseacres at head-quarters mean, in sending a detachment there?’ ‘I suppose they scarcely know themselves. But obedience—We all know the adage.’
1872
Satanella
II. xxiv.
‘The first duty of a soldier is obedience,’ he answered in great glee.
1915
Good Soldier
III. iii.
She had been taught all her life that the first duty of a woman is to obey.
obedience;
soldiers
FIRST impressions are the most lasting
1700Way of World
IV. i.
How shall I receive him?..There is a great deal in the first Impression.
1791
in
Publications of Colonial Society of Massachusetts
(1954) XXXVI. 112
I am affraid it is too late .. and you know that first impressions are the most lasting.
1844
Martin Chuzzlewit
v.
I didn't like to run the chance of being found drinking it .. for first impressions, you know, often go a long way, and last a long time.
1926
Psychology & Education
xii.
Primacy is popularly expressed by the statement that ‘first impressions are lasting’.
1946
Bright Day
ii.
He ought to look neat and tidy …It's half the battle .. making a good first impression.
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