Earliness

Ear·ly  (ûrl), Jubal Anderson 1816-1894.

American Confederate general whose forces threatened Washington, D.C. (1864) but were ultimately defeated by Union troops led by Philip H. Sheridan (1865).

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ear·ly  (ûrl)

adj. ear·li·er, ear·li·est

1. Of or occurring near the beginning of a given series, period of time, or course of events: in the early morning; scored two runs in the early innings.

2.

a. Of or belonging to a previous or remote period of time: the early inhabitants of the British Isles.

b. Of or belonging to an initial stage of development: an early form of life; an early computer.

3. Occurring, developing, or appearing before the expected or usual time: an early spring; an early retirement.

4. Maturing or developing relatively soon: an early variety of tomato.

5. Occurring in the near future: Observers predicted an early end to the negotiations.

adv. ear·lier, ear·liest

1.

a. Near the beginning of a given series, period of time, or course of events: departed early in the day; scored important victories early in the campaign.

b. At or near the beginning of the morning: She never used to get up so early.

2. At or during a remote or initial period: decided very early to go into medicine.

3. Before the expected or usual time: arrived at the meeting a few minutes early.

4. Soon in relation to others of its kind: a rose that was cultivated to bloom early.

Idiom:

early on

At an early stage or point: "Early on, [he] found that being honest and being funny were almost the same thing" (Maureen Orth).

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[Middle English erli, from Old English rlce : r, before; see ayer- in Indo-European roots + -lce, adv. suff.; see -ly².]

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earli·ness n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

earliness - quality of coming early or earlier in time timing - the time when something happens forwardness - an advanced stage; "the forwardness of the harvest this year"; "the arts are in no kind of forwardness in this matter" antecedence, antecedency, anteriority, precedence, precedency, priority - preceding in time lateness - quality of coming late or later in time