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early
1[ ur-lee ]
adverb
- in or during the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.:
early in the year.
- in the early part of the morning:
to get up early.
- before the usual or appointed time; ahead of time:
They came early and found their hosts still dressing.
- far back in time:
The Greeks early learned to sail and navigate.
adjective
- occurring in the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.:
an early hour of the day.
Synonyms: initial
- occurring before the usual or appointed time:
an early dinner.
Synonyms: premature, beforehand
- belonging to a period far back in time:
early French architecture.
- occurring in the near future:
I look forward to an early reply.
- (of a fruit or vegetable) appearing or maturing before most others of its type:
early apples.
noun
- a fruit or vegetable that appears before most others of its type.
Early
2[ ur-lee ]
noun
- Ju·bal Anderson [joo, -b, uh, l], 1816–94, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
early
/ ˈɜːlɪ /
adjective
- before the expected or usual time
- occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence
- occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time
- occurring in the near future
- at the earliestnot before the time or date mentioned
- early daystoo soon to tell how things will turn out
adverb
- before the expected or usual time
- near the first part of a period or sequence
I was talking to him earlier
Derived Forms
- ˈearliness, noun
Other Words From
- earli·ness noun
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of early1
Idioms and Phrases
- early on, with but little time elapsed; early in the course of a process, project, etc.; early in the game.
More idioms and phrases containing early
- bright and early
Example Sentences
Aikman too had some turbulent times early in his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Contacted earlier this week, a Pasadena Unified spokesperson said the district could not commit to reopening schools on Monday.
William Harris left his childhood home in Altadena early Wednesday morning as the Santa Ana winds howled outside and a destructive firestorm headed for his community.
The force earlier said inquiries suggested that both releases of lynx were connected.
In a statement, the agency said that none of its infrastructural assets failed Tuesday and early Wednesday but that the “intensity” of the fire disrupted the contingencies in place.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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