Main entry: early
Definition: at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
Usage: early morning; an early warning; early diagnosis; an early death; took early retirement; an early spring; early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature before most standard varieties
Main entry: early
Definition: being or occurring at an early stage of development
Usage: in an early stage; early forms of life; early man; an early computer
Main entry: early
Definition: of an early stage in the development of a language or literature
Usage: the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C.; Early Modern English is represented in documents printed from 1476 to 1700
Main entry: early
Definition: very young
Usage: at an early age
Main entry: former, early, other
Definition: belonging to the distant past
Usage: the early inhabitants of Europe; former generations; in other times
Main entry: early
Definition: expected in the near future
Usage: look for an early end to the negotiations
Main entry: too soon, ahead of time, early
Definition: before the usual time or the time expected
Usage: she graduated early; the house was completed ahead of time
Definition: in good time
Usage: he awoke betimes that morning
Definition: during an early stage
Usage: early on in her career