最初;起初;开始时
Oxford 3000
- firstly在英国英语中比在北美英语中更通用。
Firstly is more common in BrE than in NAmE .- The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones.
小册子分为两部分：第一部分涉及基础课程，第二部分涉及高级课程。
- The brochure is divided into two sections, dealing firstly with basic courses and secondly with advanced ones.
- at first用以讲述最初阶段的情况，尤指与后来的不同情况相比较：
At first is used to talk about the situation at the beginning of a period of time, especially when you are comparing it with a different situation at a later period.- Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less.
起初玛吉几乎每天都见到他，现在见到他的次数少得多了。
- Maggie had seen him nearly every day at first. Now she saw him much less.
- At first it looked like I was going to win by acclamation.
起初看起来我会以口头表决的方式获胜。 - At first I gave him the benefit of the doubt
起初，我姑且相信了他。 - At first Lewis resisted their blandishments.
起初，刘易斯并没有听信他们的甜言蜜语。 - The pair met often — at first by chance but later by design.
这两个人经常见面——开始是偶然的，后来就是有意的了。 - My parents were dubious about it at first but we soon convinced them.
我父母起初对此心存疑虑，但是我们很快就让他们信服了。 - I had some difficulty at first recalling why we were there.
刚开始回想我们为什么会在那儿时我有些费劲。 - All went well at first, and I was in high favour; but presently I fell from grace
我最初一帆风顺，备受器重，但现在却失宠了。 - The city might be grim at first, but there is a vibrancy and excitement.
这座城市最初可能并不吸引人，但是它有一种生机和活力。 - It's a bit tricky at first till you get the hang of it.
刚开始有点儿难，掌握窍门后就好了。 - She'd liked him at first, but soon lost interest
她刚开始是喜欢他，但很快就失去了兴趣。 - At first they all thought I was a loony.
一开始他们都以为我是个疯子。 - It was love at first sight, and he proposed to me six weeks later.
我们一见钟情，他6周后就向我求婚了。 - It's not easy at first, but it soon becomes second nature.
起初不容易，但很快就习惯了。 - At first I really didn't care whether he came or not.
起先我真的不在乎他是否会来。 - I tried not to take any notice at first but then I was offended by it.
起初我尽量不予理会，但后来我被惹恼了。 - At first I felt very resentful and angry about losing my job
起初我对丢掉工作感到非常怨恨和恼怒。 - At first I scoffed at the notion
刚开始我对那种想法嗤之以鼻。 - She took it calmly at first but under the surface was seething
她起初平静地接受了，但内心却气呼呼的。 - You will find it hard at first, but stick at it
你会发现刚开始时有点难，但要坚持下去。 - I thought at first that Jay had been stirring things up.
我起初认为杰伊一直在挑起事端。 - Some of the space will at first be used for storage
一部分空间将首先用于贮藏。 - Dart, who had at first been very tense, at last relaxed.
起初，达特非常紧张，最后终于放松了下来。 - At first I thought he was rather ordinary looking, a little chubby, not my type
刚开始我认为他相貌很普通，有点胖乎乎的，并非我喜欢的类型。 - At first I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a wind-up by one of my mates.
一开始我不相信，以为是哪个同伴在故意逗我。 - Tom met Mary at a party, and they fell in love at first sight.
汤姆在一次聚会上遇到玛丽，两人一见钟情。 - At first he studied architecture, but later he switched to geology.
他原是学建筑的，中途改行搞地质了。 - I found English difficult at first.
原先我觉得英语难学。 - At first I wasn't aware that he was ill.
开始我没有察觉到他有病。 - At first he didn't agree, but later he did.
开始他不同意，但后来同意了。 - At first he was a little shy in class, but now he acts more natural.
他起初在班里有点害羞，不过现在自然多了。