noun |
adj |
verb |
adv |
(adj) earliest
(comparative and superlative of `early') more early than; most early
a fashion popular in earlier times; his earlier work reflects the influence of his teacher; Verdi's earliest and most raucous opera
(adv) before
earlier in time; previously
I had known her before; as I said before; he called me the day before but your call had come even earlier; her parents had died four years earlier; I mentioned that problem earlier
(adv) in the beginning, in the first place, originally, to begin with
before now
why didn't you tell me in the first place?
(adv) sooner
comparatives of `soon' or `early'
Come a little sooner, if you can; came earlier than I expected