#132. Earliness. -- N. {ant. 133} earliness &c. adj.; morning &c. 125.
punctuality; promptitude &c. (activity) 682; haste &c. (velocity) 274; suddenness &c. (instantaneity) 113.
prematurity, precocity, precipitation, anticipation; a stitch in time.
V. be early &c. adj., be beforehand &c. adv.; keep time, take time by the forelock, anticipate, forestall; have the start, gain the start; steal a march upon; gain time, draw on futurity; bespeak, secure, engage, preengage[obs].
accelerate; expedite &c. (quicken) 274; make haste &c. (hurry) 684.
Adj. early, prime, forward; prompt &c. (active) 682; summary.
premature, precipitate, precocious; prevenient[obs], anticipatory; rath[obs].
sudden &c. (instantaneous) 113; unexpected &c. 508; near, near at hand; immediate.
Adv. early, soon, anon, betimes, rath[obs]; eft, eftsoons; ere long, before long, shortly; .
beforehand; prematurely &c. adj.; precipitately &c. (hastily) 684; too soon; before its time, before one's time; in anticipation; unexpectedly &c. 508.
suddenly &c. (instantaneously) 113; before one can say "Jack Robinson", at short notice, extempore; on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion [Bacon]; at once; on the spot, on the instant; at sight; offhand, out of hand; a' vue d'oeil[Fr]; straight, straightway, straightforth[obs]; forthwith, incontinently, summarily, immediately, briefly, shortly, quickly, speedily, apace, before the ink is dry, almost immediately, presently at the first opportunity, in no long time, by and by, in a while, directly.
Phr. no sooner said than done, immediately, if not sooner; tout vient a temps pour qui sait attendre[Fr]. #132a. Punctuality -- N. punctuality, promptness, immediateness.
V. be prompt, be on time, be in time; arrive on time; be in the nick of time.
Adj. timely, seasonable, in time, punctual, prompt.
Adv. on time, punctually, at the deadline, precisely, exactly; right on time, to the minute; in time; in good time, in military time, in pudding time|, in due time; time enough; with no time to spare, by a hair's breadth.
Phr. touch and go, not a minute too soon, in the nick of time, just under the wire, get on board before the train leaves the station.