Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Early, especially in the morning: Refers to an action occurring at an early hour, often before the usual or expected time.
   • In good time; seasonably: Refers to an action done at a suitable or opportune moment, not too late.

Usage Examples

• Adverb:
  • She rose betimes to prepare for the long journey. (She got up early to prepare for the long journey.)
  • The farmer must sow the seeds betimes to ensure a harvest before the rains. (The farmer must sow the seeds in good time to ensure a harvest before the rains.)

Advanced Usage

• Literary and Archaic Tone: The word "betimes" is now considered somewhat archaic or literary. It is rarely used in everyday modern conversation but appears in classic literature, formal writing, or for stylistic effect.
  • "To bed, to bed," said Macbeth, "there's knocking at the gate: come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed!" He retired betimes, his mind in turmoil.
• Used for Emphasis on Promptness: It often carries a connotation of praiseworthy or necessary earliness.
  • If you wish to secure a ticket, you must arrive betimes.

Variants and Related Words

• Betimeliness (n., archaic): The quality of being early or timely. (Extremely rare in modern usage.)
• Betimed (adj., archaic): Done or occurring at an early hour.

Synonyms

• Early: At a time before the usual or expected time.
• Seasonably: At the right or proper time; opportunely.
• Timely: Done or occurring at a favorable or useful time.
• Promptly: With little or no delay; immediately.

Antonyms

• Late: After the expected, usual, or proper time.
• Belatedly: Coming or happening later than should have been the case.
• Tardily: Slowly; late.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Bright and early: Very early in the morning.
  • They set off bright and early. (This is a more common modern equivalent for the "early morning" sense of "betimes".)
• In the nick of time: Just at the critical moment; just in time.
  • He arrived in the nick of time. (This relates to the "in good time" sense of "betimes".)

Adverb

1. in good time
   • he awoke betimes that morning