Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens. I knew I had to get up early Why do we have to go to bed so early? late Early is also an adjective. I decided that I was going to take early retirement I planned an early night
Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc
If you say about something that might be true that it is early days, you mean that it is too soon for you to be completely sure about it. adj. Early American furniture Early Netherlandish art Early Jubal Anderson
emphasis You can use as early as to emphasize that a particular time or period is surprisingly early. Inflation could fall back into single figures as early as this month
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time; "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"
Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process. the book's early chapters. Early is also an adverb. an incident which occurred much earlier in the game