Example sentences of "not [vb infin] in the first place " in BNC.
Next page| No | Sentence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Not that she could n't handle him , but it was so much better if the situation did not arise in the first place . |
| 2 | Payment has never been demanded and it is possible that the provisions are not necessary because the liabilities they cover did not exist in the first place . |
| 3 | As with externalities , we can not expect markets to allocate resources efficiently if the markets do not exist in the first place . |
| 4 | However , X does not appear in the first place as a response to some specific stimulus ( as in the case of a reflex ) , but more or less spontaneously . |
| 5 | If you want a half-hearted approach I may as well not start in the first place . ’ |