at first

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at first

1. (idiomatic) Initially; at the start; originally.

   If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

   The work was hard at first, but soon I got used to it.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 51:

     “Well,” I answered, at first with 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.

   • 1957 July, M. D. Greville, “A Diamond Jubilee of Railway Memories”, in Railway Magazine, page 459:

     This year of 1905 also saw the completion of the electrification of the Underground, which certainly improved the atmosphere, and made travelling easier and more comfortable, although, at first, not too reliable.

   • 1978, Dino Fekaris, Freddie Perren, “I Will Survive”, performed by Gloria Gaynor:

     At first I was afraid, I was petrified / Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side

   • 1996, “Return to Grace”, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, season 4, episode 14 (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: Maybe at first, but perhaps our actions would inspire others to join the struggle!

• See also Thesaurus:initially