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"
being or occurring at an early stage of development; "in an early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an early computer"
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"
very young; "at an early age"
expected in the near future; "look for an early end to the negotiations"
before the usual time or the time expected; "she graduated early"; "the house was completed ahead of time"
introduced from another region and persisting without cultivation
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established; "the established social order"; "distrust the constituted authority"; "a team established as a member of a major league"; "enjoyed his prestige as an established writer"; "an established precedent"; "the established Church"
shown to be valid beyond a reasonable doubt; "the established facts in the case"
securely established; "an established reputation"; "holds a firm position as the country's leading poet"
the remission by the pope of the temporal punishment in purgatory that is still due for sins even after absolution; "in the Middle Ages the unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners became a widespread abuse"
the act of indulging or gratifying a desire
a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone; "too much indulgence spoils a child"
an inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires
separate or apart in time; "distant events"; "the remote past or future"
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance; "distant villages"; "the sound of distant traffic"; "a distant sound"; "a distant telephone call"
far apart in relevance or relationship; "a distant cousin"; "a distant likeness"
showing patient and unruffled self-control and restraint under adversity; slow to retaliate or express resentment; "seemly and forbearing...yet strong enough to resist aggression"; "was longanimous in the face of suffering"