(earlier, earliest)
1
- happening or done before the usual or expected time早的; 提早的：
we ate an early lunch.
我们吃了一顿早午饭。
2
- happening, belonging to, or done near to the beginning of a particular time or period开始阶段的, 开始时的：
an early goal secured victory.
开场后不久的一记进球奠定了比赛胜局。
2.1
- done or occurring near the beginning of the day清早的, 一大早的：
we agreed to meet at 6 am to get an early start.
我们约定6点集合以便一大早出发。
2.2
- denoting or belonging to the beginning or opening stages of a historical period, cultural movement, or sphere of activity早期的, 初期的：
early Impressionism.
早期的印象主义。
2.3
- occurring at the beginning of a sequence（次序）在前的, 前面的：
the earlier chapters of the book.
这本书的前几章。
2.4
- (of a plant or crop) flowering or ripening before other varieties（植物或农作物）早产的, 早熟的：
early potatoes.
早熟的马铃薯。
1
- before the usual or expected time早, 提早：
I was planning to finish work early today.
我原本打算今天提早完成工作。
1.1
- near the beginning of a particular time or period在开始阶段, 在初期, 在早期：
we lost a couple of games early in the season.
我们在赛季开始阶段输掉了几场比赛。
1.2
- near the beginning of the day清早, 一大早：
I wrote this piece early one morning.
这篇文章我是某一天一大早写好的。
1.3
earlier
before the present time or before the time one is referring to在此（或在那）以前, 早先, 早些时候：you met my husband earlier.
你以前见过我的丈夫。
noun
earlies
1
- potatoes which are ready to be harvest-ed early早熟马铃薯。
2
- informal early shifts〈非正式〉早班：
she is on earlies.
她在上早班。
短语
at the earliest
- not before the time or date specified最早, 至早。
early bird
- humorous a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time〈幽默〉早起者（或早到者、早做者）。
the early bird catches the worm
- proverb the person who takes the earliest opportunity to do something will gain the advantage over others〈谚〉捷足者先登。
early doors
- Brit. informal early on, especially in a game or contest〈英, 非正式〉（尤指比赛或竞赛中的）在开始阶段; 在早期：
you should try to wind up their star player early doors.
你们应该一开始就设法冻结他们的明星队员。
ORIGIN: apparently originally with reference to admission to a music hall some time before the start of the performance.
an early grave
- a premature or untimely death早逝：
he worked himself into an early grave.
他因过度工作而早逝。
the early hours
- the time after midnight and before dawn凌晨（午夜后黎明前）。
an early night
- an occasion when someone goes to bed before the usual time, especially in order to catch up on sleep（尤指为弥补睡眠不足而）比平时睡得早的晚上。
early （或earlier）on
- at an early (or earlier) stage in a particular time or period在早期; 早先：
they discovered early on that the published data were wrong.
他们早就发现所公布的数据是错的。
it's（或these are）early days
- informal, chiefly Brit. it is too soon to be sure how a situation will develop〈非正式, 主英〉为时尚早：
it's still early days for the initiative.
现在采取主动为时尚早。
派生词
earliness
noun词源
Old English (as an adverb) ǣrlīce （see ERE, -LY 2 ）, influenced by Old Norse árliga. The adjective use dates from Middle English.