early
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
| Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| arms | across | answer | #447: early | saying | talk | spirit |
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English erli, Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr (“‘before’”) + adverbial suffix -līce.
[edit] Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA: /ˈɜː(ɹ).li/, SAMPA: /"3:(r).li/
- Rhymes: -ɜː(r)li
- (GenAm) IPA: /ˈɝli/. SAMPA: /"3`li/
- Hyphenation: ear‧ly
[edit] Adjective
early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)
|
Positive |
- 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.
- Near the start or beginning.
- The play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's early works.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
Related terms
[edit] Translations
at a time in advance of the usual
arriving at a time before expected
near the start or beginning
[edit] Adverb
early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)
|
Positive |
- At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
- We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
at a time before expected
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