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Webster 1913 Edition

Early

Ear′ly

(ẽr′ly̆)
,
adv.
[OE.
erli
,
erliche
, AS.
ǣrlīce
;
ǣr
sooner +
līc
like. See
Ere
, and
Like
.]
Soon; in good season; seasonably; betimes;
as, come
early
.
Those that me
early
shall find me.
Prov. viii. 17.
You must wake and call me
early
.
Tennyson.

Ear′ly

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Earlier
(ẽr′lĭ-ẽr)
;
sup
erl.
Earliest
.]
[OE.
earlich
. √204. See
Early
,
adv.
]
1.
In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; among or near the first; – opposed to
late
;
as, the
early
bird; an
early
spring;
early
fruit.
Early
and provident fear is the mother of safety.
Burke.
The doorsteps and threshold with the
early
grass springing up about them.
Hawthorne.
2.
Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc.
Seen in life’s
early
morning sky.
Keble.
The forms of its
earlier
manhood.
Longfellow.
The
earliest
poem he composed was in his seventeenth summer.
J. C. Shairp.
Syn. – Forward; timely; not late; seasonable.

Webster 1828 Edition

Early

EARLY

,
Adj.
er'ly. [Eng.ere.]
1.
In advance of something else; prior in time; forward; as early fruit, that is, fruit that comes to maturity before other fruit; early growth; early manhood; early old age or decrepitude, that is, premature old age. So an early spring; an early harvest.
2.
First; being at the beginning; as early dawn.
3.
Being in good season; as, the court met at an early hour.

EARLY

,
adv.
er'ly. Soon; in good season; betimes; as, rise early; come early; begin early to instill into children principles of piety.
Those who seek me early shall find me. Prov.8.

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