I. ear ‧ ly 1 S1 W1 /ˈɜːli $ ˈɜːrli/ BrE AmE adjective ( comparative earlier , superlative earliest )
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: ærlice , from ær 'early, soon' ]
1 . FIRST PART in the first part of a period of time, event, or process:
the early morning sunshine
an afternoon in early spring
In the early days, the railways mainly carried goods.
She is in her early twenties.
the recession of the early 1980s
The money could be paid as early as next week.
He spent the early part of his career at St John’s Hospital.
the experiences of early childhood
the early works of Shakespeare
My earliest memories are of fruit trees.
Early signs are encouraging.
2 . BEFORE USUAL arriving or happening before the usual or expected time OPP late
five minutes/three hours etc early
The bus was ten minutes early.
early for
I was a few minutes early for my appointment.
David decided to take early retirement (=stop working before the normal age) .
She drank herself into an early grave (=died younger than is normal) .
3 . BEGINNING used to emphasize that something has just begun, especially when you do not know how it will develop:
It’s too early to say what will happen.
It’s early days yet. I don’t want to make any predictions.
4 . NEW THING [only before noun] being one of the first people, events, machines etc:
Early motor cars had very poor brakes.
fossil evidence of early man
5 . the early hours the time between ↑ midnight and morning:
I didn’t finally get to bed until the early hours.
in the early hours of something
The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.
6 . an early start a start made very early in the day because you have a lot to do, far to go etc:
We need to make an early start tomorrow.
7 . at/from an early age when you are very young, or starting when you were very young:
She’s played tennis from a very early age.
8 . an early night if you have an early night, you go to bed earlier than usual OPP a late night
have/get an early night
I think I’ll get an early night.
9 . early bird/early riser someone who always gets up very early in the morning
10 . the early bird catches the worm used to say that if you do something early or before other people, you will be successful
11 . early potatoes/lettuces etc potatoes etc that are ready to be picked before any others
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COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ early morning/afternoon/evening
The lake looked beautiful in the pale early morning light.
▪ early spring/summer etc
These plants produce flowers from early spring to late summer.
▪ early August/January etc
Italy is lovely in early June, before it gets too hot.
▪ the early days/months/years of something (=the period of time near the beginning of something)
In the early years of our marriage, we lived with my wife’s parents.
▪ in your early twenties/forties etc (=aged 20–23, 40–43 etc)
Both men are in their early twenties.
▪ the early 1920s/1970s etc (=1920–23, 1970–73 etc)
He lived in London in the early 1980s.
▪ sb’s early childhood/adolescence/life (=when someone is a young child, adolescent etc)
We’ve known each other since early childhood.
▪ an early stage (=near the beginning of a process)
Patients can be treated with drugs, especially at the early stage of the disease.
▪ the early part of something (=near the beginning of an event or period of time)
I was doing quite well in the early part of the race.
▪ sb’s earliest memory (=the first thing you can remember about something from your past)
One of my earliest memories is of being at a busy railway station, trying to find my mum.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ early arriving or happening before the usual or expected time:
For once, the train arrived early.
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Let’s have an early lunch before we go.
▪ in good time especially British English early enough, so that you do not have to rush, or so that you have time to get ready:
Everything was ready for the party in good time.
▪ on time arriving somewhere or happening at the right time:
The bus was on time.
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The project was finished on time.
▪ ahead of time earlier than the time when you have arranged to do something or than when you need something:
The building work was completed ahead of time.
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Some of the food can be prepared ahead of time.
▪ ahead of schedule earlier than the officially agreed time:
The Prime Minister called the elections early, five months ahead of schedule.
▪ with time to spare arriving somewhere or finishing something before the time when you have to arrive or finish:
We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
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I finished the test with time to spare.
▪ first thing especially spoken immediately after you get up, or as soon as you start work:
I’ll telephone her first thing tomorrow.
II. early 2 S1 W1 BrE AmE adverb ( comparative earlier , superlative earliest )
1 . before the usual, arranged, or expected time OPP late :
We arrived early.
They must have come home early.
2 . near the beginning of a period of time, event, process etc OPP late
early in
She went out early in the morning.
He was sent off early in the game.
early this/next/last year etc
The building should be finished early next year.
The restaurant opened earlier this month.
We want to start as early as possible.
The disease is easy to treat if diagnosed early.
3 . early on at an early stage in a relationship, process etc:
I realized early on I’d never pass the exam.
early on in
We encountered problems early on in the project.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ arrive early/be early
Some of the guests arrived early.
▪ leave early
I had to leave early, so I missed the end of the party.
▪ be/get/come home early
Your father said he’d be home early.
▪ get up/wake up/be up early
Set the alarm for six – I have to be up early tomorrow.
▪ go to bed early
I think I’ll go to bed early tonight.
■ phrases
▪ early in the morning/afternoon/evening
We set off early in the morning.
▪ early in May/June etc
I usually go on holiday early in July.
▪ early in 1998/2004 etc
We moved to Manchester early in 2004.
▪ early in the year/century (=in the first part of the year or century)
It was too early in the year for a lot of flowers.