Definition: (comparative and superlative of `early') more early than; most early
Usage: a fashion popular in earlier times; his earlier work reflects the influence of his teacher; Verdi's earliest and most raucous opera
Definition: earlier in time; previously
Usage: I had known her before; as I said before; he called me the day before but your call had come even earlier; her parents had died four years earlier; I mentioned that problem earlier
Main entry: in the beginning, in the first place, originally, to begin with, earlier
Definition: before now
Usage: why didn't you tell me in the first place?
Definition: comparatives of `soon' or `early'
Usage: Come a little sooner, if you can; came earlier than I expected