Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Peter Mark Roget

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†. accelerate; expedite &c (quicken) 274; make haste &c (hurry) 684. Adj. early, prime, forward; prompt &c (active) 682; summary. premature, precipitate, precocious; prevenient†, anticipatory; rath†. sudden &c (instantaneous) 113; unexpected &c 508; near, near at hand; immediate. Adv. early, soon, anon, betimes, rath†; 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†; 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.