| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ear•ly /ˈɜrli/USA pronunciation adv. andadj., -li•er, -li•est. adv. - in or during the beginning:early in the year.
- in the early part of the morning:to get up early.
- before the usual or appointed time;
ahead of time:The train arrived early!
adj. - occurring in the beginning:[before a noun]an early hour of the day.
- occurring before the usual or appointed time:an early dinner.
- occurring in the near future:[before a noun]I look forward to an early reply.
Idioms- Idioms early on, not long after the beginning.
ear•li•ness, n. [uncountable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ear•ly (ûr′lē),USA pronunciation adv., -li•er, -li•est, adj., -li•er, -li•est, n., pl. -lies. adv. - in or during the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.:early in the year.
- in the early part of the morning:to get up early.
- before the usual or appointed time;
ahead of time:They came early and found their hosts still dressing. - far back in time:The Greeks early learned to sail and navigate.
- Idioms early on, with but little time elapsed;
early in the course of a process, project, etc.;
early in the game.
adj. - occurring in the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.:an early hour of the day.
- occurring before the usual or appointed time:an early dinner.
- belonging to a period far back in time:early French architecture.
- occurring in the near future:I look forward to an early reply.
- (of a fruit or vegetable) appearing or maturing before most others of its type:early apples.
n. - a fruit or vegetable that appears before most others of its type.
- Middle English erlich (adjective, adjectival), erliche (adverb, adverbial), Old English ǣrlīc, ǣrlīce, mutated variant of ārlīc, ārlīce, equivalent. to ār- early (positive of ǣr ere) + līc(e) -ly bef. 950
- 6.See corresponding entry in Unabridged initial.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged beforehand, premature.
Ear•ly (ûr′lē),USA pronunciation n. Ju•bal Anderson (jo̅o̅′bəl),USA pronunciation 1816–94, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ adj ( -lier, -liest)- before the expected or usual time
- occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence
- occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time
- occurring in the near future
- early days ⇒ too soon to tell how things will turn out
adv (-lier)- before the expected or usual time
Etymology: Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr ere + -līce -ly²; related to Old Norse arligaˈearliness n |