at first | Idiomator

Meaning: (idiomatic)Initially; at thestart; originally.Ifat firstyou don't succeed, try, try again.The work was hardat first, but soon I got used to it.1897December (indicated as1898),Winston Churchill, chapter IV, inThe Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.:The Macmillan Company; London:Macmillan & Co., Ltd.,→OCLC,page51:“Well,” I answered,at firstwith uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.1978,Dino Fekaris,Freddie Perren, “I Will Survive”, performed byGloria Gaynor:At firstI was afraid, I was petrified / Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side1996, “Return to Grace”, inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 4, episode14(Science Fiction),→OCLC:KIRA: Look, Dukat, I know you're angry, but maybe you ought to think about what you're proposing. I mean, you can't go to war against the whole Klingon Empire with one bird of prey.DUKAT: Why not? Your people fought against us for fifty years with much less sophisticated weaponry than this. And you beat us.KIRA: It's not the same. The Bajoran people were united. We were all fighting for the same goal. You and your crew would be out there alone.DUKAT: Maybeat first, but perhaps our actions would inspire others to join the struggle!

Examples:

EN: Countess Korotbova, one of the Empress' favorite maids of honor, was at first very cold towards him.
ES: La condesa Korotbova, una de las damas de honor preferidas por la emperatriz demostraba al principio mucha frialdad con él.
EN: The copy distributed at first in 1919 was 2637 meters long.
ES: La copia difundida en el estreno en 1919 tenía 2637 metros.
EN: The Professor, meeting Kate, is converted to the scientific theory of Love at first sight.
ES: El profesor, al ver a Kate, se convence de la teoría del amor a primera vista.
EN: "You will feel strange at first... In such a big house!"
ES: Probablemente al principio te sentirías extraña en una casa tan grande.
EN: Our marriage was... at first... like one continuous day of bliss.
ES: "Nuestro matrimonio fue, desde el principio, como un solo día de felicidad."
EN: Love at first sight, brother-in-law!
ES: "¡Amor a primera vista, cuñado! ...
EN: Men think that love at first sight is silly, but only once they go past sixty.
ES: Los hombres piensan que el amor a primera vista es tonto, pero solo una vez pasan los sesenta.
EN: "You know, this isn't as funny as it seemed at first."
ES: Sabes, esto no es tan gracioso como parecía la primera vez.
EN: That's what I thought... at first.
ES: Eso pensé... al principio.
EN: I've found a real peach, and I think it's love at first sight.
ES: He encontrado a un bombón y creo que ha sido amor a primera vista.
EN: Oh, but if it's like this at first... what can be left for later?
ES: Pero si empiezas así, ¿qué queda para luego?
EN: You know, you know, I didn't quite get you at first.
ES: ¿Sabes? , no lo pillé al principio.
EN: # Whether rich or poor, in love they're all alike, # at first happy, and then madly in love, love love.
ES: # Ricos o pobres, en el amor todos son iguales, # primero feliz, después loca de amor, amor, amor.
EN: I didn't know at first who you were talking about.
ES: Al principio no sabía de quién estaba hablando.
EN: Oh, at first, I tried to get him to. You know, just for fun. Then somehow, I feel sorry for him.
ES: Al principio, coqueteé para que lo hiciera, para divertirme, pero luego empezó a darme lástima y...

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