in the first place 首先，從一開始;壓根兒;固;當初
In the first place, why should you get married?
首先來考慮這個問題，為什么你要去結婚呢？
Poorer people bought fewer posh brands in the first place.
窮人壓根兒不會購買奢侈品。

a defence mechanism 一種防御機制
She's actually rather insecure, and her rudeness is just a defence mechanism.
她其實是缺乏安全感，她的粗魯不過是出于防衛心理。
They produce light similar to a firefly and use it as a defence mechanism to communicate and to see.
它們像螢火蟲一樣發光，并用光作為防御機制，進行交流和觀察。

play by the rules 按部就班，按規矩辦事
If you want to get these guys, you have to keep your mouth shut and play by the rules.
要是你想俘獲這些男人，你就要閉上嘴巴、按老規矩行事。
In line with wto standards, us policy should play by the rules of the international economy.
要符合世貿組織標準，美國政策應按照國際經濟規則來運轉。