The difference between Early and First
When used as nouns, early means a shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day, whereas first means the person or thing in the first position.
When used as adverbs, early means at a time before expected, whereas first means before anything else.
When used as adjectives, early means at a time in advance of the usual or expected event, whereas first means preceding all others of a series or kind.
check bellow for the other definitions of Early and First
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Early as an adjective:
At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
Examples:
"at eleven, we went for an early lunch; she began reading at an early age; his mother suffered an early death"
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Early as an adjective:
Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.
Examples:
"You're early today! I don't usually see you before nine o'clock."
"The early guests sipped their punch and avoided each other's eyes."
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Early as an adjective:
Near the start or beginning.
Examples:
"The play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's early works."
"'Early results showed their winning 245 out of 300 seats in parliament. The main opponent locked up only 31 seats."
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Early as an adjective:
Having begun to occur; in its early stages.
Examples:
"'early cancer"
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Early as an adverb:
At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
Examples:
"We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early."
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Early as an adverb:
Soon; in good time; seasonably.
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Early as a noun (informal):
A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
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First as an adjective:
Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest.
Examples:
"The first day of September 2013 was a Sunday."
"I was the first runner to reach the finish line, and won the race."
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First as an adjective:
Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest.
Examples:
"Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece."
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First as an adverb:
Before anything else; firstly.
Examples:
"Clean the sink first, before you even think of starting to cook."
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First as a noun (uncountable):
The person or thing in the first position.
Examples:
"He was the first to complete the course."
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First as a noun (uncountable):
The first gear of an engine.
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First as a noun (countable):
Something that has never happened before; a new occurrence.
Examples:
"This is a first. For once he has nothing to say."
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First as a noun (countable, baseball):
first base
Examples:
"There was a close play at first."
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First as a noun (countable, British, colloquial):
A first-class honours degree.
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First as a noun (countable, colloquial):
A first-edition copy of some publication.
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First as a noun:
A fraction of an integer ending in one.
Examples:
"one forty-first of the estate"
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First as a noun (obsolete):
Time; time granted; respite.