first-come, first-served

adjective
UK /ˌfɜːst kʌm ˌfɜːst ˈsɜːvd/
US /ˌfɜːrst kʌm ˌfɜːrst ˈsɜːrvd/

The first people to arrive get the things, and later people may not get any.

Tickets are given on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early.

SYNONYMS

first in linein order of arrivalno reservationswhoever comes first

RELATED WORDS

queuepriorityallocationwaitlistarrival

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A way of giving out seats or places where people are served in the order they arrive.

Seating at the concert is first-come, first-served.

3. A rule in computing where jobs are handled in the order they are received.

The printer uses a first-come, first-served queue.

4. A policy with no special treatment for anyone.

The shelter offers beds on a first-come, first-served basis.