( formal ) as the first part of a series of actions :
In the first instance, notify the police and then contact your insurance company.
( formal ) as the first part of a series of actions :
In the first instance, notify the police and then contact your insurance company.
Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне. 2005