| 1. |
(adverb) 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" |
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Synonyms: before |
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| 2. |
(satellite adjective) (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" |
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Synonyms: earliest |
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| 3. |
(satellite adjective) occurring earlier in time; "on earlier occasions" |
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| 4. |
(adverb) before now; "why didn't you tell me in the first place?" |
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Synonyms: in the beginning, in the first place, originally, to begin with |
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| 5. |
(adverb) comparatives of `soon' or `early'; "Come a little sooner, if you can"; "came earlier than I expected" |
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Synonyms: sooner |
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