at first

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at first

1. (idiomatic) Initially; at the start.

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

   • 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.

   • 1978, Dino Fekaris, Freddie Perren (lyrics and music), “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