adv. | 1. | Soon; in good season; seasonably; betimes; | ||||||
a. | 1. | In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; among or near the first; - opposed to | ||||||
2. | Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc.
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Adj. | 1. | early - at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time; "early morning"; "an early warning"; "early diagnosis"; "an early death"; "took early retirement"; "an early spring"; "early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature before most standard varieties" Antonyms: late - being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time; "late evening"; "late 18th century"; "a late movie"; "took a late flight"; "had a late breakfast" middle - between an earlier and a later period of time; "in the middle years"; "in his middle thirties" |
2. | early - being or occurring at an early stage of development; "in an early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an early computer" | |
3. | early - of the distant past; "the early inhabitants of Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times" | |
4. | early - very young; "at an early age" | |
5. | early - of an early stage in the development of a language or literature; "the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C."; "Early Modern English is represented in documents printed from 1476 to 1700" Antonyms: late - of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages; "Late Greek" middle - of a stage in the development of a language or literature between earlier and later stages; "Middle English is the English language from about 1100 to 1500"; "Middle Gaelic" | |
6. | early - expected in the near future; "look for an early end to the negotiations" | |
Adv. | 1. | early - during an early stage; "early on in her career" Synonyms: early on |
2. | early - before the usual time or the time expected; "she graduated early"; "the house was completed ahead of time" Synonyms: ahead of time, too soon | |
3. | early - in good time; "he awoke betimes that morning" Synonyms: betimes |