early

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ûr′lē, IPA^(key): /ˈɜːli/

• Audio (RP)

  (file)

• (General American) enPR: ûr′lē, IPA^(key): /ˈɝli/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Homophone: Earley
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)li
• Hyphenation: ear‧ly

Etymology 1

From Middle English erly, erlich, earlich, from Old English ǣrlīċ (“early”, adjective), equivalent to ere +‎ -ly.

Adjective

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

1. At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.

   at eleven, we went for an early lunch;  she began reading at an early age;  his mother suffered an early death

   • 2013 June 29, “High and wet”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 28:

     Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale. The early, intense onset of the monsoon on June 14th swelled rivers, washing away roads, bridges, hotels and even whole villages. Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.

   • Time definition

     The inevitable progression into the future with the passing of present and past events. (1 of 27 time definitions)

   • Advance definition

     To promote or advantage.

     1. To help the progress of (something); to further.
     2. To raise (someone) in rank or office; to prefer, to promote.

     (1 of 16 advance definitions)
2. Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.

   You're early today! I don't usually see you before nine o'clock.

   The early guests sipped their punch and avoided each other's eyes.

   • Arrive definition

     To reach; to get to a certain place. (1 of 6 arrive definitions)

   • Before definition

     Earlier than (in time). (1 of 7 before definitions)

   • On Time definition

     Punctual or according to schedule.
3. Near the start or beginning.

   The play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's early works.

   Early results showed their winning 245 out of 300 seats in parliament. The main opponent locked up only 31 seats.

   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.

   • 2013 July 20, “The attack of the MOOCs”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:

     Dotcom mania was slow in coming to higher education, but now it has the venerable industry firmly in its grip. Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations.

   • Start definition

     The beginning of an activity. (1 of 7 start definitions)

   • Beginning definition

     The act of doing that which begins anything; commencement of an action, state, or space of time; entrance into being or upon a course; the first act, effort, or state of a succession of acts or states. (1 of 4 beginning definitions)
4. Near the start of the day.

   It's too early for this sort of thing. I'm not awake yet.

5. Having begun to occur; in its early stages.

   early cancer

   • Occur definition

     To happen or take place. (1 of 4 occur definitions)
6. (astronomy) Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.

   Antonym: late

   • Astronomy definition

     The study of the physical universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere, including the process of mapping locations and properties of the matter and radiation in the universe. (1 of 2 astronomy definitions)

   • Late definition

     Near the end of a period of time. (1 of 10 late definitions)

Synonyms

• (at a time in advance of the usual): premature
• (near the start): first

Antonyms

• (at a time in advance of the usual): late
• (illness: having begun to occur): terminal

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

early (plural earlies)

1. (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
   • 2007, Paul W. Browning, The Good Guys Wear Blue, page 193:

     On my first day on the watch after leaving the shoplifting squad I paraded on earlies but had completely forgotten to take my ear ring off.

   • Shift definition

     A movement to do something, a beginning. (1 of 21 shift definitions)

Antonyms

• late

Etymology 2

From Middle English erly, orely, arely, erliche, arliche, from Old English ǣrlīċe, ārlīċe (“early; early in the morning”, adverb), equivalent to ere +‎ -ly. Cognate with Old Norse árliga, árla ( > Danish årle, Swedish arla, Norwegian årle, Faroese árla).

Adverb

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

1. At a time before expected; sooner than usual.

   We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 46:

     No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.

   • Usual definition

     Most commonly occurring; typical.
2. Soon; in good time; seasonably.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 8:17, column 1:

     [T]thoſe that ſeeke me early, ſhall find me.

   • 1832 December (indicated as 1833), Alfred Tennyson, “The May Queen”, in Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, stanza I, page 90:

     You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear; / Tomorrow 'ill be the happiest time of all the blythe Newyear; […]

   • Soon definition

     Short in length of time from the present. (1 of 3 soon definitions)

   • Seasonably definition

     In due season; at an opportune or fitting time. (1 of 4 seasonably definitions)

Synonyms

• prematurely

Antonyms

• late, tardily

Translations

Anagrams

• Arely, Arley, Layer, Leary, Raley, Rayle, layer, leary, re-lay, relay