? ?in the first place - used at the end of a sentence to indicate what was true or what should have been done at the beginning of a situation 起初，原先（用于句尾表示开始时本应该做的事或开始时的实际情况）? ??in the first/second place?- used when listing the most important parts of something or the most important reasons for something 第一，第二? ??at first：when something first happens or begins to happen : when you first notice or consider something - 开始的时候；起初? ? （以上均摘自《韦氏高阶英汉双解词典》）