earliest
 (a.)早的,初期的


 Ear·ly, a. [Compar. Earlier superl. Earliest.]
 1. In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; among or near the first; -- opposed to late; as, the early bird; an early spring; early fruit.
    Early and provident fear is the mother of safety.   --Burke.
    The doorsteps and threshold with the early grass springing up about them.   --Hawthorne.
 2. Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc.
    Seen in life's early morning sky.   --Keble.
    The forms of its earlier manhood.   --Longfellow.
    The earliest poem he composed was in his seventeenth summer.   --J. C. Shairp.
 Early English Philol. See the Note under English.
 Early English architecture, the first of the pointed or Gothic styles used in England, succeeding the Norman style in the 12th and 13th centuries.
 Syn: -- Forward; timely; not late; seasonable.

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 earliest
      adj : (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" [syn: earlier]
      adv : with the least delay; "the soonest I can arrive is 3 P.M."
            [syn: soonest]


 early
      adj 1: at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of
             events or before the usual or expected time; "early
             morning"; "an early warning"; "early diagnosis"; "an
             early death"; "took early retirement"; "an early
             spring"; "early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature
             before most standard varieties" [ant: middle, late]
      2: being or occurring at an early stage of development; "in an
         early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an
         early computer" [ant: late]
      3: of the distant past; "the early inhabitants of Europe";
         "former generations"; "in other times" [syn: early(a), former(a),
          other(a)]
      4: very young; "at an early age"
      5: of an early stage in the development of a language or
         literature; "the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that
         used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C.";
         "Early Modern English is represented in documents printed
         from 1476 to 1700" [ant: middle, late]
      6: expected in the near future; "look for an early end to the
         negotiations"
      adv 1: during an early stage; "early on in her career" [syn: {early
             on]
      2: before the usual time or the time expected; "she graduated
         early"; "the house was completed ahead of time" [syn: {ahead
         of time, too soon] [ant: late]
      3: in good time; "he awoke betimes that morning" [syn: betimes]
      [also: earliest, earlier]


 earliest
      See early