early

ear|ly1 [ `ɜrli ] adverb ***

1. ) before the usual or expected time:

I don't get up very early.

The flight arrived ten minutes early.

2. ) near the beginning of a period of time:

Let's meet again early next week.

early in: These simple plants appeared very early in the history of life on Earth.

a ) near the beginning of someone's life:

His genius as a musician was shown very early.

early in: She was widowed very early in life.

b ) near the beginning of an event or activity:

early in: It's best not to rush things this early in your career.

3. ) near the beginning of a piece of writing:

early in: This point was discussed earlier in the chapter.

4. ) soon enough to avoid problems:

If we begin the treatment early, we have a better chance of success.

early on

in the early part of a process or activity:

Mr. Wood decided pretty early on that he was not right for the job.

─ opposite LATE

early

ear|ly 2 [ `ɜrli ] adjective ***

1. ) before the time that something is expected or arranged to happen:

My train was ten minutes early.

early for: You're a little early for the party.

a ) before the time that something usually happens:

Spring was unusually early that year.

Let's have an early lunch and then go to the movies.

Is it too early to call them?

b ) as early as at a time that is sooner than people expect:

We may announce the winners as early as tomorrow.

2. ) usually before noun near the beginning of a period of time:

The plants flower in early spring.

The temperature drops to below freezing in the early evening.

In the early 1980s, several thousand jobs were lost.

a ) used about periods in someone's life:

Julia is in her early thirties.

memories of my early childhood

From an early age, Chaplin believed in his talents.

b ) used about the first part of an activity, process, or event:

The project is still in its very early stages.

It is too early to predict whether the unemployment rate has peaked.

in the early days (=soon after something began): We didn't think much about the environment in those early days.

c ) used about periods of history:

in the early Middle Ages

3. ) used about the first people or things of a particular type:

The early settlers used to heat their cabins with wood.

early editions of the novel

4. ) early crops or flowers are ready to be picked before others of the same type:

early peaches/roses

the early hours

the period of time between midnight and the very early morning:

The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.

an early night

a night when you go to bed earlier than you normally do:

I think I'll make this an early night.

an early start

an occasion when you start something early in the morning

it's early in the day MAINLY SPOKEN

used for saying that it is too soon to know whether someone or something will be successful

─ opposite LATE

=> EARLIEST, OPPORTUNITY