first-degree
/ˌfɜːst.dɪˈɡriː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌfɝːst.dɪˈɡriː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfɜːst dɪɡriː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɜːrst dɪɡriː/ (ame, ipa)
first-degree — adjective
1. describing a burn that damages only the top layer of skin, causing redness and s
describing a burn that damages only the top layer of skin, causing redness and soreness but no blisters or permanent marks
Tamar touched a hot pan and got a first-degree burn on her finger.
collocation: first-degree burn
The doctor said the sunburn was only first-degree and would heal within a week.
A first-degree burn usually heals without leaving any scar on the skin.
Kofi held his first-degree burn under cold running water to ease the pain.
- superficial
used more broadly in medicine for any surface-level injury, not limited to burns
- mild
general word for not serious; less precise than first-degree in medical classification
- second-degree
describes a burn that blisters and damages deeper layers of skin
- third-degree
describes a severe burn that destroys all skin layers and may damage nerves
文法句型
first-degree + noun (burn)
用法筆記
Attributive only — always placed before the noun (a first-degree burn, not ✗ the burn is first-degree). The same phrase 'first-degree' carries the opposite meaning in legal contexts (most serious, see adj/3).
常見錯誤
2. relating to the mildest stage of any non-burn medical issue or injury, where sym
relating to the mildest stage of any non-burn medical issue or injury, where symptoms are slight and treatment is usually unnecessary
William's heart test showed first-degree atrioventricular block, which required no treatment.
collocation: first-degree block
The nurse told Shirin that a first-degree sprain heals much faster than a second-degree one.
Mateo was diagnosed with a first-degree strain in his shoulder during the routine check-up.
Lara twisted her ankle and got a first-degree sprain diagnosis with three days' rest advised.
- second-degree
moderate severity in medical classification of the same condition
- third-degree
most severe form of a medical condition
文法句型
first-degree + noun (medical condition)
用法筆記
Distinguish from adj/1 (BURN SEVERITY) — adj/2 applies to non-burn medical conditions such as heart block, sprains, or strains where 'first-degree' indicates the least severe classification.
3. legally classified as the most severe category of offence, for which the prosecu
legally classified as the most severe category of offence, for which the prosecution must prove the act was planned and carried out deliberately, not accidentally
The court found Daichi guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison.
collocation: first-degree murder
First-degree arson involves deliberately setting fire to a building with intent to cause harm.
collocation: first-degree arson
Mateo was charged with first-degree assault because the attack was planned in advance.
Chidi was sentenced to twenty years in prison for first-degree arson after the fire destroyed three apartments.
- premeditated
focuses on the planning aspect; used in legal contexts but not tied to a specific degree classification
- cold-blooded
informal term emphasizing cruelty and lack of emotion; not a legal category
- capital
describes crimes that can carry the death penalty, overlapping with but not identical to first-degree
- second-degree
a less serious category of the same crime, typically without premeditation
- manslaughter
a killing without intent or premeditation, carrying a lighter sentence than murder
文法句型
first-degree + noun (crime type)
用法筆記
Contrast with adj/1 and adj/2 — in medicine 'first-degree' means LEAST serious, but in law it means MOST serious. This opposite usage frequently confuses learners. The legal sense is predominantly used in American English; British English prefers 'murder' without the degree classification.
常見錯誤
first-degree — noun
1. the qualification earned by completing an initial academic programme at a higher
the qualification earned by completing an initial academic programme at a higher-education institution, such as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science
Shirin completed her first degree in Economics at the University of Tehran.
collocation: first degree in + subject
After finishing his first degree, William applied for a master's programme in London.
Gabriel studied mechanical engineering for his first degree and later earned a master's at Stanford.
Kofi is saving money to pay for his first degree at a university in Ghana.
- bachelor's degree
the standard term in American English and internationally for the same qualification
- undergraduate degree
broader term that includes any degree earned before a postgraduate qualification
- postgraduate degree
a higher degree, such as a master's or PhD, earned after the first degree
- higher degree
synonym for postgraduate degree; emphasises the advanced level of study
文法句型
possessive + first degree
first degree in + subject
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, the same concept is usually called a bachelor's degree or an undergraduate degree. The term 'first degree' emphasises that it is the first university-level qualification a student earns.
常見錯誤
2. a legal charge or conviction classified at the most serious level within a categ
a legal charge or conviction classified at the most serious level within a category of crime, based on intent and premeditation
The prosecutor upgraded the charge to a first-degree after new evidence appeared.
collocation: upgrade to a first-degree
In some states a first-degree carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Tamar's charge was reduced from a first-degree to second-degree manslaughter.
The jury found the defendant guilty of a first-degree, a verdict that shocked the community.
- capital charge
a charge that may carry the death penalty; narrower than first-degree since not all first-degree crimes are capital
文法句型
charge with a first-degree
convict of a first-degree
reduce from a first-degree
用法筆記
Used as a noun standing alone ('charged with a first-degree') rather than as an attributive adjective ('first-degree murder'). This sense is elliptical — the specific crime (murder, arson, etc.) is implied by context.
3. the highest or most intense level of a quality, experience, or condition; used t
the highest or most intense level of a quality, experience, or condition; used to emphasise that something is extreme in its kind
The hurricane caused damage of the first-degree along the entire coastline.
pattern: of the first-degree
Shirin's dedication to her students was of the first-degree — she never missed a single class.
The restaurant serves spicy food of the first-degree that only a few customers can handle.
The team showed enthusiasm of the first-degree after winning the national championship.
- extreme
more general; lacks the idiomatic flavour of the fixed phrase
- maximum
suggests an upper limit; used in similar intensifying contexts
- unparalleled
formal register; emphasises that nothing else matches the level
文法句型
of the first-degree
用法筆記
Follows the pattern '[noun] of the first-degree' to mean 'extreme [noun]'. More common in American English than British English. Often used hyperbolically in informal speech. Do not confuse with the legal sense (noun/2), which uses 'a first-degree' without 'of the'.