(earlier, earliest)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.
I knew I had to get up ~...
Why do we have to go to bed so ~?
? late
ADV: ADV after v
•
Early is also an adjective.
I decided that I was going to take ~ retirement...
I planned an ~ night.
ADJ: ADJ n
2.
Early means near the beginning of a day, week, year, or other period of time.
...in the 1970s and the ~ 1980s.
...a few weeks in ~ summer...
She was in her ~ teens.
...the ~ hours of Saturday morning.
? late
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Early is also an adverb.
We’ll hope to see you some time ~ next week.
...~ in the season.
ADV: ADV with cl, ADV n/prep
3.
Early means before the time that was arranged or expected.
She arrived ~ to secure a place at the front...
The first snow came a month earlier than usual.
? late
ADV: ADV after v
•
Early is also an adjective.
I’m always ~.
ADJ
4.
Early means near the beginning of a period in history, or in the history of something such as the world, a society, or an activity.
...the ~ stages of pregnancy.
...Fassbinder’s ~ films...
It’s too ~ to declare his efforts a success.
ADJ: ADJ n
5.
Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process.
...the book’s ~ chapters.
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Early is also an adverb.
...an incident which occurred much earlier in the game.
ADV: ADV with cl, ADV prep
6.
Early refers to plants which flower or crop before or at the beginning of the main season.
...these ~ cabbages and cauliflowers.
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Early is also an adverb.
...~ flowering shrubs.
ADV: ADV with v
7.
Early reports or indications of something are the first reports or indications about it. (FORMAL)
The ~ indications look encouraging...
ADJ: ADJ n
8.
You can use as ~ as to emphasize that a particular time or period is surprisingly ~.
Inflation could fall back into single figures as ~ as this month.
PHRASE: PHR n emphasis
9.
If you say about something that might be true that it is ~ days, you mean that it is too soon for you to be completely sure about it. (INFORMAL)
PHRASE: V inflects