Forms: 3 earlich, 4–5 erli, erly, 6 yerly, 7 earely, 6– early. See the adv. Not found in OE., and only rarely in ME.; probably evolved from the adv. Cf. the equivalent ON. árligr, which is also of rare occurrence.]
I. Absolutely or relatively near to the beginning of a portion of time: opposed to late.
When used with a sb. denoting a division of time, it sometimes gives to the latter a partitive sense: thus the early spring = the early part of the spring; the early morning = the early part of the morning; similarly the early nineteenth century, etc.
1. With reference to the time of day.
a. Belonging to the first part of the morning; that exists, takes place, appears, or does something in the first part of the morning. Proverb, The early bird gets the worm; hence early bird, humorously = early riser.
In early riser, early rising, the first word may either be taken as an adj., or the phrase may be treated as a combination in which the first element is the adv. (cf. well-doer, -doing). The former view seems most in accordance with the modern grammatical consciousness, and is supported by the analogy of the similar phrase in quot. 1225.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 258. His earlich ariste from deað to liue.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. xxii. (1495), 360. Mane the erly dawnynge makyth ende of the nyght lytyll and lytyll.
c. 1450. Sir Beues (MS. M.), 1929. Beuys sayde: ‘Yet is it but erly day!’
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 209. The early Village Cock Hath twice done salutation to the Morne.
1611. Bible, Hosea vi. 4. Your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. xiv. 26. He that hath once got the fame of an early riser, may sleep till noon.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 642. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest Birds.
1785. Cowper, Tiroc., 765. Where early rest makes early rising sure.
1808. J. Barlow, Columb., I. 356. Whose watchful priest would meet, with matin blaze, His earlier God.
1815. E. Forster, trans. Arab. Nts. (ed. 4), III. 302. It was time to get up for early prayers before sunrise.
1833. R. Hogg, Lett., in Lockhart, Scott (1839), IX. 114. He asked me if I was an early riser.
b. Relatively near to the beginning of the day (or night). Of events or actions: Taking place at an hour relatively not far advanced, or before the usual hour. Small-and-early: applied in recent use to evening parties; colloq. also as quasi-sb.
1848–60. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., The meeting will begin at early candle-light.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. xi. 83. Mrs. Podsnap added a small and early evening to the dinner.
c. To keep early hours: to rise and retire early. Early habits: habits of keeping early hours. Hence colloq. the adj. is applied to persons.
1753. Richardson, Grandison, V. xvii. 114. But early hours, and method, and ease, without hurry, will do every-thing.
1781. Cowper, Retirement, 429. What early philosophic hours he keeps.
Mod. They are early people, and seldom go out in the evening.
† d. absol. = Early morning, early hour. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xviii. 26. Fro erli vnto euen the tyme shal ben chaunged.
1604. Shaks., Oth., II. iii. 7. To morrow with your earliest, Let me haue speech with you.
2. Relatively near to the beginning of the year. Of things or events: Appearing or occurring relatively soon in the year; esp. of plants with regard to their time of bearing flowers or fruit.
1526. Tindale, James v. 7. Untill he receave the yerly and the latter rayne.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. iii. 38. As in an early Spring, We see th’appearing buds, which to proue fruite, Hope giues not so much warrant.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 89. If the earlier season lead.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 192. Fruits and Flowers, are more early or tardy … according as the Soil and Situation are qualify’d by Nature or Accident.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 68/51. Ev’n in this early Dawning of the Year.
1811. W. R. Spencer, Poems, 98. Sere, sere was ev’ry earlier rose.
1861. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., V. 204. Early Purple Orchis.
3. With reference to a lifetime.
a. Pertaining to or connected with childhood or youth. b. Relatively near to the beginning of a lifetime or career. (Sometimes contextually = premature, too early.)
1630. Lord, Banians, 62. They Marry about the seuenth yeere … that the Parents might before their death see their Children disposed, which commeth to passe by these earely coniunctions.
1705. Addison, Italy, Ded. I had a very early Ambition to recommend my self to Your Lordship’s Patronage.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., V. 899. Early, not sudden, was Narcissa’s fate.
1771. Junius Lett., xli. 287. The Duke of Portland was in life your earliest friend.
1780. Cowper, Progr. Err., 354. Our most important are our earliest years.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 109. Henry Wharton,… whose early death was soon after deplored by men of all parties as an irreparable loss to letters.
1875. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims., Poet & Imag., Wks. (Bohn), III. 158. Music and rhyme are among the earliest pleasures of the child.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 36. The man who is to be good at anything must have early training.
¶ Used by Byron for: Youthful, young.
1814. Byron, Lara, I. xx. Blest are the early hearts and gentle hands That mingle therein well-according bands. Ibid. (1818), Juan, I. xliii. Lucretius’ irreligion is too strong For early stomachs.
4. Belonging or relating to the initial stage of a historical epoch, of the history of a people, of the world, of a science, etc.; ancient. So early history, early records.
1672–5. Comber, Comp. Temple (1702), 558. There are no More, or earlyer Laws than these.
1747. Collins, Passions, 2, in Odes, 46. While yet in early Greece she sung.
1787. Bonnycastle, Astron., i. 3. Astronomy is a science of the earliest antiquity.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 106. Anaxagoras seems to have been one of the earliest philosophers upon record who held this doctrine.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, vii. 373. The early engravers … never attempted to express more than the drawing and the actual light and shadows.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 593. His household at Badminton was regulated after the fashion of an earlier generation. Ibid., II. 399. Early fathers of the Church.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven. (1874), I. viii. 90. Wherever we find the level … square occurring … in early Northern work.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 1. In the early Church he exercised a real influence.
1875. Fortnum, Maiolica, 92. Two large and finely painted early dishes.
b. Archit. Early English: the name commonly applied to the period of English architecture succeeding the so-called ‘Norman,’ and usually described as extending from A.D. 1175 to 1275; also the style characteristic of that period; also called Early Pointed, First Pointed.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven., I. 106. The Early English capital is, therefore, a barbarism of triple grossness.
1879. Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit., I. 123. The round moulded capital is characteristic of the English Early Pointed. Ibid., 138. The Early Pointed style was from 1175 to 1275.
5. generally. Connected with the initial part of any division of time, any continuous action, etc.; also, anterior in comparison with something else; timely, done or taking place without delay, or before it is too late. In compar. and superl. = former, foremost (in time).
1767. Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 191. This consideration shou’d engage our earliest and closest attention to the rules.
1791. Burke, App. Whigs, Wks. VI. 9. Made men remiss in early precaution.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, IX. 303. Fear not for Burgundy!… Our earliest scouts Shall tell his homeward march.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, VI. iii. Bruce’s earliest cares restore That speechless page to Arran’s shore.
1882. Pebody, Eng. Journalism, xxi. 153. The early part of this century.
b. Of future dates and events: Not remote, near at hand.
1857. Livingstone, Trav., Introd. 8. There being no prospect of an early peace.
Mod. An early date has been fixed for the ceremony. Please reply at your earliest convenience.
II. 6. With reference to serial order: Occupying a position near the beginning.
1707. Lond. Gaz., No. 4333/8. They will Advance Money upon early Tallies.
Mod. The early chapters of the book. The early prime numbers.
