early
adj
adv
ˈɜːli
adj
1
FIRST PART
最初部分
in
the
first
part
of
a
period
of
time,
event,
or
process
〔时间、事件或过程〕早期的，初期的
2
BEFORE USUAL
通常时间之前
arriving
or
happening
before
the
usual
or
expected
time
提早的，提前的;
five
minutes/three
hours
etc
early
The
bus
was
ten
minutes
early.
公共汽车提前了十分钟到达[开出]。
[+
for
]
I
was
a
few
minutes
early
for
my
appointment.
我约会早到了几分钟。
David
decided
to
take
early
retirement
(=stop
working
before
the
normal
age)
.
戴维决定提前退休。
She
drank
herself
into
an
early
grave
(=died
younger
than
is
normal)
.
她因酗酒而过早去世了。
3
BEGINNING
开始
used
to
emphasize
that
something
has
just
begun,
especially
when
you
do
not
know
how
it
will
develop
早的〔用于强调某事刚开始〕
It’s
too
early
to
say
what
will
happen.
要预测会发生什么还为时过早。
It’s
early
days
yet.
I
don’t
want
to
make
any
predictions.
现在还言之过早，我不想作出任何预测。
4
NEW THING
新事物 [only before noun 仅用于名词前]
being
one
of
the
first
people,
events,
machines
etc
最初的
Early
motor
cars
had
very
poor
brakes.
早期的汽车刹车装置很差。
fossil
evidence
of
early
man
原始人类的化石证据
5
the early hours
the
time
between
MIDNIGHT
and
morning
凌晨
I
didn’t
finally
get
to
bed
until
the
early
hours.
我直到凌晨才终于上床睡觉。
in
the
early
hours
of
sth
The
attack
happened
in
the
early
hours
of
Sunday
morning.
袭击发生于星期日凌晨。
6
an early start
a
start
made
very
early
in
the
day
because
you
have
a
lot
to
do,
far
to
go
etc
〔因工作繁重、路途遥远等〕一大早就开始 （出发 ）
We
need
to
make
an
early
start
tomorrow.
我们明天一大早就得出发。
7
as/from an early age
when
you
are
very
young,
or
starting
when
you
were
very
young
年少 （早年 ）时/自年少 （早年 ）时起
She’s
played
tennis
from
a
very
early
age.
她从小就打网球。
8
an early night
if
you
have
an
early
night,
you
go
to
bed
earlier
than
usual
〔某晚〕比平时睡得早;
have/get
an
early
night
I
think
I’ll
get
an
early
night.
我想今晚早点睡觉。
9
early bird/early riser
someone
who
always
gets
up
very
early
in
the
morning
惯于早起的人
10
the early bird catches the worm
10.
used
to
say
that
if
you
do
something
early
or
before
other
people,
you
will
be
successful
捷足先登
11
early potatoes/lettuces etc
11.
potatoes
etc
that
are
ready
to
be
picked
before
any
others
早熟的马铃薯/莴苣等
adv
12
before
the
usual,
arranged,
or
expected
time
提早，提前;
We
arrived
early.
我们提前到了。
They
must
have
come
home
early.
他们肯定早就到家了。
13
near
the
beginning
of
a
period
of
time,
event,
process
etc
在早期，在初期，在开展阶段;
[+
in
]
She
went
out
early
in
the
morning.
她一早就出去了。
He
was
sent
off
early
in
the
game.
他在比赛一开始就被罚下场。
early
this/next/last
year
etc
The
building
should
be
finished
early
next
year.
这幢楼应在明年初完工。
The
restaurant
opened
earlier
this
month.
这家餐馆本月提早开门营业。
We
want
to
start
as
early
as
possible
.
我们想要尽早开始。
The
disease
is
easy
to
treat
if
diagnosed
early.
这种病如在早期作出诊断就很容易治疗。
14
early
on
at
an
early
stage
in
a
relationship,
process
etc
〔关系、过程等〕在初期，开始不久
I
realized
early
on
I’d
never
pass
the
exam.
开始不久我便意识到，我绝对通不过考试。
[+
in
]
We
encountered
problems
early
on
in
the
project.
我们在该项目的初期便遇到了难题。