Dictionary

at first blush en · ADP

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From an obsolete sense of blush meaning to glance at.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) Upon first impression or consideration; seemingly, apparently, ostensibly.
   • Third, it is only at first blush that one finds no exercises in conceptual elucidation 2002, Clarence A. Bonnen, Daniel E. Flage, Descartes and Method: A Search for a Method in Meditations, page 100:
   • At first blush it appears rather strange to consider for even a moment the possibility that corporate financial and business disclosure rises to the dignity of speech protected by the First Amendment. 1990, Nicolas Wolfson, Corporate First Amendment: Rights and the Sec, Quorum Books, →ISBN, page 1:
   • At first blush it seemed the attacks by the werewolf were random. 2012, Cynthia Garner, Secret of the Wolf, Forever, →ISBN:
   • That may sound innocent at first blush, but a phrase like "American leadership is good … for the world" is a signal that these people want to impose their will on others; and when military strength and moral principle are added, the caution flag must be raised. 2008, Dennis Martin Altman, The First Liberal: A Secular Look at Jesus' Socio-Political Ideas and How They Become the Basis of Modern Liberalism, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 47:
   • The finer and more distinctive features of a land require deep study and long acquaintance, but the broader traits of nationality are caught in an instant, or not caught at all. Familiarity with, destroys them, and it is only at first blush that we learn to appreciate them with force. 1843, Charles James Lever, Jack Hinton, the Guardsman:

Forms

Synonyms

on the face of it · at first glance · at first sight

Translations (28)

pl na pierwszy rzut oka (upon first impression or consideration) · it a prima vista (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi näkemältä (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi silmäykseltä (upon first impression or consideration) · el εκ πρώτης όψεως (upon first impression or consideration) · pt à primeira vista (upon first impression or consideration) · cs na první dojem (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi näkemällä (upon first impression or consideration) · es al principio (upon first impression or consideration) · el εκ πρώτης εντύπωσης (upon first impression or consideration) · el εκ πρώτης εντύπωσεως (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi vailkaisulla (upon first impression or consideration) · cmn 乍看 (upon first impression or consideration) · fr de prime abord (upon first impression or consideration) · cmn 乍聽 /乍听 (upon first impression or consideration) · fr à première vue (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi silmäyksellä (upon first impression or consideration) · et esmapilgul (upon first impression or consideration) · nl op het eerste gezicht (upon first impression or consideration) · eo unuavide (upon first impression or consideration) · ru на пе́рвый взгляд (upon first impression or consideration) · hy առաջին հայացքից (upon first impression or consideration) · el εκ πρώτης όψης (upon first impression or consideration) · fr au premier abord (upon first impression or consideration) · de auf den ersten Blick (upon first impression or consideration) · es a primera vista (upon first impression or consideration) · el με μια πρώτη ματιά (upon first impression or consideration) · fi ensi vilkaisulta (upon first impression or consideration)