early /ˈɜːlɪ/ CET4 TEM4 ( earlier, earliest )

• 1. 

  ADV Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens. 早 [ADV after v]

  例：

  I knew I had to get up early.

  我知道我得早起。

• 2. 

  ADJ Early is also an adjective. 早的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  I decided that I was going to take early retirement.

  我决定了我将提早退休。

• 3. 

  ADJ Early means near the beginning of a day, week, year, or other period of time. 早期的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  ...in the 1970s and the early 1980s.

  …在20世纪70年代和20世纪80年代初期。

  例：

  She was in her early teens.

  她有十三四岁了。

• 4. 

  ADV Early is also an adverb. 在早期

  例：

  We'll hope to see you some time early next week.

  我们希望在下周初的某个时候见你。

• 5. 

  ADV Early means before the time that was arranged or expected. 提前 [ADV after v]

  例：

  She arrived early to get a place at the front.

  她提前到达，好在前排找个位置。

• 6. 

  ADJ Early is also an adjective. 提前的

  例：

  I'm always early.

  我总是提早。

• 7. 

  ADJ Early means near the beginning of a period in history, or in the history of something such as the world, a society, or an activity. 早期的; 初期的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  ...the early stages of pregnancy.

  …怀孕初期。

  例：

  ...Fassbinder's early films.

  …法斯宾德的早期电影。

• 8. 

  ADJ Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process. 开始的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  ...the book's early chapters.

  …该书开头几章。

• 9. 

  ADV Early is also an adverb. 在开始阶段

  例：

  ...an incident that occurred much earlier in the game.

  …一个在比赛刚开始时发生的事件。

• 10. 

  ADJ Early refers to plants that flower or crop before or at the beginning of the main season. 早开花的; 早熟的 [ADJ n]

  例：

  ...these early cabbages and cauliflowers.

  …这些早熟的卷心菜和花椰菜。

• 11. 

  ADV Early is also an adverb. 早开花地 [ADV with v]

  例：

  This early flowering gladiolus is not very hardy.

  这株开花早的剑兰不是很耐寒。

• 12. 

  ADJ Early reports or indications of something are the first reports or indications about it. 初期的 [正式] [ADJ n]

  例：

  The early indications look encouraging.

  初期的迹象看起来鼓舞人心。

• 13. 

  PHRASE You can use as early as to emphasize that a particular time or period is surprisingly early. 早在 [强调]

  例：

  Inflation could fall back into single figures as early as this month.

  通货膨胀最早在本月就能回落到一位数。