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al·read·y
 already
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- pronunciation:
- awl
re
di
| part of speech: |
adverb |
| definition 1: |
"Already" means before now. If you say that you have already washed your hands, you mean that you washed them sometime before now. Sometimes "already" means before some other time. When you get to the bus stop and the bus has already left, it means that the bus left before you got there.
I've already seen that movie. It was really scary and I don't want to see it again.When we finally got to the football field, the game was already over.- synonyms:
- previously
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| definition 2: |
We often use "already" when something happens sooner than we expected it.
Wow! Are you finished cleaning your room already?- antonyms:
- finally
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| definition 3: |
"Already" sometimes means "from an earlier time." If you already have a spoon, for example, then you don't need a spoon now. If you already know something, then you don't need to learn that thing or hear about it now. If the soup for lunch is already made, then there is no reason to make soup now.
My grandma wants to get me a chemistry set for my birthday, but I told her I already have one.I already knew what kind of ice cream I wanted, but my brother had to think about it for a while. |
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