early
/ˈɝli/ adjective A2- 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
- 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.
- After but close to the start of a period of time. · 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.
- In the starting hours of the day. · It's too early for this sort of thing. I'm not awake yet.
- Having begun to occur; in its early stages. · early cancer· harvesting early peaches
- Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.
Comparative earlier · Superlative earliest
From the library
“You are an early bird, Mr.
I’ll have to be pushing on my way; for the early hours of a case are the precious ones, as no man knows better than your own self.
Those were the early days at the end of the ’80’s, when Alec MacDonald was far from having attained the national fame which he has now achieved.
Though reserved in its earlier vocabulary, it becomes, if I remember right, quite garrulous towards the end.” He picked the volume from his desk.
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