headfirst

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   with the head leading or foremost

   He slipped and fell headfirst into the shallow water.

2. 2
   adv

   figurative: rashly, eagerly, or without adequate preparation

   The company rushed headfirst into a market it did not understand.

3. 3
   adj

   made or occurring with the head leading

   A headfirst dive is unsafe in water of unknown depth.

A compound of head + first, literally describing movement with the head in front. Its figurative use compares an impulsive commitment to diving before checking what lies ahead.

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