first down

noun

plural first downs

: the first of a series of usually four downs (see down entry 5 sense 3a) in which a football team must net a 10-yard gain to retain possession of the ball

: a gain of a total of 10 or more yards within usually four downs giving the team the right to start a new series of downs

Examples of first down in a Sentence

They have first down on the 20-yard line. The pass was completed for a first down.

Recent Examples on the Web

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Copied Share Kyle Hamilton is down for the Ravens Rohan Nadkarni Kyle Hamilton, the Ravens do-it-all safety, is on the field and in pain after the Bengals picked up a first down inside Baltimore’s 20-yard line. —

NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024 Philadelphia’s star running back made the first down by executing a deft spin move to elude Jacksonville linebacker Devin Lloyd. —

Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The offsetting penalties negated a first down for the Chargers, but galvanized the team on its first touchdown drive of the game, a 15-play, 90-yard march that ended with a one-yard run by Dobbins. —

Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024 On a third and ten play in the third, Tagovailoa scrambled 13 yards and slid for the first down, much to the delight of the crowd. —

Wayne Sterling, CNN, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for first down