1first part 最初部分BEGINNING 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
the early morning sunshine
清晨的阳光
an afternoon in early spring
一个早春的午后
In the early days, the railways mainly carried goods.
最初,铁路主要用于运输货物。
She is in her early twenties.
她20岁出头。
the recession of the early 1980s
20世纪80年代初的经济衰退
The money could be paid as early as next week.
钱款最早可以在下周支付。
He spent the early part of his career at St John’s Hospital.
他在圣约翰医院度过了他的早期职业生涯。
the experiences of early childhood
幼年的经历
the early works of Shakespeare
莎士比亚的早期作品
My earliest memories are of fruit trees.
我最早的记忆和果树有关。
Early signs are encouraging.
早期的征兆鼓舞人心。
2before usual 通常时间之前EARLYarriving or happening before the usual or expected time 提早的,提前的OPP late
five minutes/three hours etc early
The bus was ten minutes early.
公共汽车早到了十分钟。
early for
I was a few minutes early for my appointment.
我比约定时间早到了几分钟。
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。
3beginning 开始EARLY 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.
现在说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。
4new thing 新事物 [only before noun]FIRST being one of the first people, events, machines etc 最初的
Early motor cars had very poor brakes.
早期的汽车车装置很差。
fossil evidence of early man
原始人类的化石证据
5the early hoursLATEthe 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 something
The attack happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.
袭击发生于星期日凌晨。
Examples from the Corpus
in the early hours of something• Despite vowing to diein defence of Evangalista, in the early hours of Oct. 6 Noblesurrendered unconditionally.• Thirteen families were made homelessin the early hours of that morning.• They fell asleepin the early hours of the morning, holding hands.• Journalistsrang her day and night, even in the early hours of the morning.• Something had scared him enough to make him go running across rooftopsin the early hours of the morning.• He died in the early hours of this morning.• The tail-end of a conversationin the early hours ofTuesday morning.• A policewomandiscovered the blaze which occurredin the early hours ofyesterday.
6an early startEARLYa 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]
7at/from an early agewhen 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。
Examples from the Corpus
at/from an early age• But what about alteration of brainchemistryat an early age?• Did you start paintingat an early age?• I worry about cholesterol, because my fatherdied of a heartattackat an early age.• Robin adds that as a boy he saw both the Graf Zeppelin and R-101, obviously an enthusiastfrom an early age.• Spong does not advocatemarriageat an early age.• Both Maddy and Patrick were professionally successfulat an early age, secure, and surrounded by helpful family.• Women learn at an early age that most men do not like angry women living in the same house.• If you get to know about these things at an early age you lose your shame and shyness.
8an early nightEARLYSLEEPif you have an early night, you go to bed earlier than usual 〔某晚〕比平时睡得早OPP a late night
have/get an early night
I think I’ll get an early night.
我想今晚早点睡觉。
Examples from the Corpus
have/get an early night• Below once more, with everything as secure as she could make it, she decided she might as well have an early night.• But, if tonight you find yourself yawning at 9.30, why not have an early night?• Cancel any evening plans - have an early night.• I should have left you to fix your light snack and have an early night.• Maybe she would skipdinner and simply go to her cabin, unpack her things and get an early night.• Then I just felt so tired I thought I'd have an early night.• You should have an early night, but I don't suppose you will sleep.
9.early bird/early riserWAKE UP/GET UPsomeone who always gets up very early in the morning 惯于早起的人
10.the early bird catches the wormSUCCESSFULused to say that if you do something early or before other people, you will be successful 捷足先登;早起的鸟儿有虫吃
11.early potatoes/lettuces etcHBPpotatoes etc that are ready to be picked before any others 早熟的马铃薯/莴苣等
Examples from the Corpus
early potatoes/lettuces etc• Plant garlic, shallots and Jerusalem artichokes as soon as possible, early potatoes about mid-month.• Farmersnear Girvan and Dunbar use these advantages to provide early potatoes for the large markets of Glasgow and Edinburgh.• The early potatoes were well up and looking very healthy, I was happy to see.
nCOLLOCATIONS
nouns
early morning/afternoon/evening
The lake looked beautiful in the pale early morning light.
early spring/summer etc
These plants produce flowers from early spring to late summer.
early August/January etc
Italy is lovely in early June, before it gets too hot.
the early days/months/years of something (=the period of time near the beginning of something)
In the early years of our marriage, we lived with my wife’s parents.
in your early twenties/forties etc (=aged 20–23,40–43 etc)
Both men are in their early twenties.
the early 1920s/1970s etc (=1920–23,1970–73 etc)
He lived in London in the early 1980s.
somebody’s early childhood/adolescence/life (=when someone is a young child, adolescent etc)
We’ve known each other since early childhood.
an early stage (=near the beginning of a process)
Patients can be treated with drugs, especially at the early stage of the disease.
the early part of something (=near the beginning of an event or period of time)
I was doing quite well in the early part of the race.
somebody’s earliest memory (=the first thing you can remember about something from your past)
One of my earliest memories is of being at a busy railway station, trying to find my mum.
THESAURUS
early arriving or happening before the usual or expected time 提早的[地],提前的[地]
For once, the train arrived early.
火车难得一次提前到达。
Let’s have an early lunch before we go.
我们提前吃个午饭再走吧。
in good time especially British EnglishBrE early enough, so that you do not have to rush, or so that you have time to get ready 及早,有足够的时间
Everything was ready for the party in good time.
聚会所需的一切都及时准备就绪。
on time arriving somewhere or happening at the right time 按时,准时
The bus was on time.
公共汽车很准时。
The project was finished on time.
这个项目按时完成了。
ahead of time earlier than the time when you have arranged to do something or than when you need something 提前;事先
The building work was completed ahead of time.
施工提前完成。
Some of the food can be prepared ahead of time.
有些食物可以事先准备好。
ahead of schedule earlier than the officially agreed time 先于预定时间
The prime minister called the elections early, five months ahead of schedule.
首相提前了五个月举行选举。
with time to spare arriving somewhere or finishing something before the time when you have to arrive or finish 提前〔赶到或完成〕
We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
我们早早就到了机场。
I finished the test with time to spare.
我提前完成了测验。
first thing especially spoken immediately after you get up, or as soon as you start work 〔起床后或一上班〕首先
Early signs• There is some way to go in all this despite the promisingearly signs.• The early signs are not promising.• My sister, too, shows early signs of depression.• It is free of charge and can help to detectearly signs of health problems and prevent them developing.• And the early signs of that being altereddate back to the tough public spending rounds of the early 1980s.• There are early signs some would-bemigrants are hopingFox can do that.• There are already early signs that this mediaflexibleapproach to our markets is creatingopportunities to grow new revenuestreams:?• But as long as you spot the early signs you should be okay - just keep the redbits covered for a few days.
early grave• I reckon that hat's in for an early grave.• The only thing you get out of that is an early grave.• Widows are suing the companies for deathbenefits, demandingcompensation for the loss of husbands worked into an early grave.• An early grave or the emigrantship.• Because if the indestructible Earnhardt can be put into an early grave, they all can.
It’s early days• Anyway, it's early days.• It's early days and the market for acrylics needs to find its own level.• Sue: I appreciateit's early days, but what can you tell me about the Workstart Pilots?• It's early days for us, you and me, if you like.• It's early days yet and if it does happen I will up-date you with the information.• It's early days yet, Paul.• Look, it's early days yet.• There was nothing on show to lift the roof - but in this remarkablerenaissance, it's early days yet.
I had to leave early, so I missed the end of the party.
be/get/come home early
Your father said he’d be home early.
get up/wake up/be up early
Set the alarm for six – I have to be up early tomorrow.
go to bed early
I think I’ll go to bed early tonight.
phrases
early in the morning/afternoon/evening
We set off early in the morning.
early in May/June etc
I usually go on holiday early in July.
early in 1998/2004 etc
We moved to Manchester early in 2004.
early in the year/century (=in the first part of the year or century)
It was too early in the year for a lot of flowers.
Examples from the Corpus
early• Due to a shortage of whiskey that evening, the party broke up early.• You should get there early if you want a good seat.• Its first conferences were held at Blackfriars and Blackpool early in 1932.• Colin Pennington's wife Joanne went into labour three weeks early in the bathroom of their home in Runcorn, Cheshire.• early in the century• Rangers scoredearly in the game but fell behind within ten minutes.• The next Opposition party should agree more timetabling of Billsearly in the new Parliament, and we should keep to it.• The flowers were planted earlier in the spring.• I t could occurearly in your service - or much later.• Yet very early, infants display an amazing interest in their world.• A reconvened multi-party constitutionalconferenceearly next month is expected to leap these hurdles quickly.• I'll be seeing him early next week.• I left work early to go to the dentist.• Whichever party is in opposition next time, let us try to decideearly to timetable more Bills.
as early as possible• Clearly, whatever the problems it is important that they are dealt with as early as possible.• I and my colleaguesunderstand the anxiety caused by uncertainties like this and will clarify the position as early as possible.• It is therefore essential for a new user of water to make a licenceapplication as early as possible.• Tomorrow she would go home as early as possible and she would never see him again.• They said babies at risk should be tested as early as possible so that treatment can begin immediately.• The purchaser should identify the need for an independentvaluation as early as possible to avoidsubsequentdelay nearer completion.• Try to shop as early as possible, too.• Pleaseconfirm, as early as possible, whether you will be able to attend.