EARLINESS, EARLY
ADJECTIVES
► AIR early → 1737 Sc.
► BELOW THE ZONE of a military promotion: unexpectedly early → 1989 US sl., Vietnam war usage
► BETIMELY early → 1594 obs.
► EARLY DOORS early → 1980s sl.
► MATUTINARY occurring or performed in the morning, early → 1858
► RARE early → 1574 obs. exc. Eng. dial. obs.
► RATHE 1. done or occurring before the usual or natural time; early → c1420 Eng. dial. & poetic usage
2. early in the day; belonging to the morning → 1596 Eng. dial. & poetic usage
► TIMEFUL early in season → 1382 obs.
► TIMEOUS ► TIMOUS early (in the morning, or in the season); sufficiently early → c1470 chiefly Sc.
► UNEARTHLY unpleasantly early → 1865 sl.
► UNGODLY of time: unpleasantly early in the day → 1889 UK sl.
► VERNAL suggestive of spring; having the mildness or freshness of spring; early, youthful → 1790
ADVERBS
► BEFORETIMES early → 1960 Amer. dial.
► BETIME 1. at an early hour, early in the day → c1250 obs.
2. in good time, early, seasonably → a1300 obs.
► BETIMES 1. at an early time, period, or season; early in the year, early in life → c1314
2. at an early hour, early in the morning → 1481
► BY TIMES early → 1875 Eng. dial.
► EARLY DOORS early on, esp. in relation to a sporting contest; orig. applied to admissions to old time music halls → 1998 UK sl.
► ERE early → 1753 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► ERISH rather early → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► OR early, at an early hour → c950 obs.
► RARE early; ready, prepared → 1790 Eng. dial.
► RATHE early in the morning or day → c1386 Eng. dial. & poetic usage
► SUDDENLY at an early date, early; soon, speedily; shortly (after) → c1500 obs.
NOUNS
► AIRNESS the state or condition of being early → 1898 Sc. (Bk.)
► DAWN PATROL the act of getting up very early in the morning, to get a head start on the day → 20C Amer. sl.
► FORE-PART the early part, as the ‘forepart’ of the day → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► TIMELINESS early development or maturity → 1599 obs.
► RATHENESS earliness → 1635
NOUNS – PERSON
► EAGER BEAVER a diligent and energetic worker; an eager or enthusiastic person; a zealous person; a person who is always on time or always early → .1943
► EARLY BIRD a person who gets up, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time → 1830
► EARLY STIRRER one who is up early → 1597
PHRASES
► DAY BEFORE THE FAIR, THE too early → 1897 (Bk.)
► GETS UP SO EARLY HE MEETS HIMSELF GOING TO BED said of a very early riser → 1946 Amer. dial.
► HE PRIES UP THE SUN WITH A CROWBAR said of someone who rises long before sunrise each morning → 1946 Amer. dial.
VERBS
► EARLIERISE to do at an earlier date
Lexicophilia 