Dictionary

already en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɑlˈɹɛdi/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /ɔːlˈɹɛdi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɔlˈɹɛdi/ without the cot–caught merger

Etymology

From Middle English alredy (“fully; already”), equivalent to al- (“all, completely”) + ready. Cognate with West Frisian alreeds (“already”), Dutch alreeds (“already”), Afrikaans alreeds (“already”), Middle Low German alreide, alreids ("already"; whence modern German Low German alreeds (“already”)), Danish allerede (“already”), Swedish allaredan (“already”), Norwegian Nynorsk allereie (“already”). More at all, ready. The use as an intensifier in American English is a semantic loan from Yiddish שוין (shoyn), attested from 1903. In Singapore English, the use of already as a marker of action completion and change of state is analogous to Hokkien 了 (liáu), Teochew 了 (liao²) and Mandarin 了 (le). Compare Malay (su)dah and Cantonese 咗 (zo²), 喇 (laa³).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Prior to some specified time, either past, present, or future; by this time; previously.
   • I still haven't seen that movie. I hope you haven't already seen it either.
   • I was surprised that she hadn’t already told me the news.
   • Tho, when-as all things ready were aright, / The Damzel was before the Altar ſet, / Being already dead with fearful fright. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
   • Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick, already familiar to experts in the field. 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
   • slipping then my cloaths off, I crept under the bed-cloaths, where I found the young stripling already nestled, and the touch of his warm flesh rather pleas'd than alarm'd me. 1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:
   • Much of what he said I knew already.
   • It was already dusk, and the lamps were just being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, waiting for the coming of its occupant. 1891 June 25, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure I.—A Scandal in Bohemia.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II, London: George Newnes, Limited, […], published July 1891, →OCLC:
2. (not-comparable) So soon.
   • Are you quitting already?
3. (Canada, US, not-comparable) An intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation.
   • I wish they'd finish already, so we can get going.
   • Enough already!
   • Enough already with the lack of glamour! 1988 June 24, Liz Smith, Toledo Blade, Toledo, Ohio, page P-5:
   • Be quiet already!
4. (Singapore, Singlish, not-comparable) Indicates the completion of an action (whether past or hypothetical), or more generally, perfective aspect.
   • You frame the picture for me already anot?
   • “Yah, I sign already,” my mother replied. 1999, Alfian Sa'at, Corridor, Singapore: SNP Editions, →OCLC, page 136:
5. (Singapore, Singlish, not-comparable) Marks a change in state, more or less in the same manner as the inchoative aspect.
   • Your ice cream is melting already.
   • Your grandmother angry already.
   • Overcook already, need to redo.
   • Okay lah, okay lah. Maybe I senile already. Like this house. 2009, Jean Tay, Boom, Epigram Books, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
   • Cannot wait already, buay tahan already. I hope she doesn’t complain to anyone. 2006, Elangovan, Smegma, →ISBN, page 39:
   • I don’t think he can take it already.
   • “Wah, so tall already, ah? Primary what already, ha? 2022, Daren Shiau, chapter VIII, in Heartland, Ethos Books, →ISBN:
   • Thank you ah, Mabel. But I think now don’t need already lah, make you come all the way to Braddell so leceh. 2014, Jolene Tan, A Certain Exposure, Epigram Books, →ISBN:

Deriveds

that train has already left the station · always already · alreadiness · that ship has already sailed

Descendants

أوردي

Relateds

ba1 · know · lah1–14 · in · hor1 · yet · leh3–6 · Gupta · lor1 · leh1–2 · ba2 · mah · A. F. (1992) · one1–3 · hah1–3 · only · number 1 · ah6 · volume 18 · ah1–3 · nia · liao · hor2 · what · meh · lor2–3 · leh7–11 · sia · →DOI

Synonyms

liao · liao

Translations (198)

ro deja (prior to some time) · sco a'ready (prior to some time) · et juba (prior to some time) · tk eýýäm (prior to some time) · izh jo (prior to some time) · ja もう (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · th แล้ว (prior to some time) · grc ἤδη (prior to some time) · nl al (prior to some time) · tg кайҳо (prior to some time) · vi đã (prior to some time) · ja こんなに早く (so soon) · uk уже́ (prior to some time) · gsw scho (prior to some time) · cmn 已 (prior to some time) · aeb بِطبِيعِة (prior to some time) · sk už (prior to some time) · arz خلاص (prior to some time) · it già (prior to some time) · kha lypa (prior to some time) · uz zotan (prior to some time) · se juo (so soon) · arz قبل كده (prior to some time) · mk веќе (prior to some time) · gd mu thràth (prior to some time) · my ပြီးပြီ (prior to some time) · kk әлдеқашан (prior to some time) · bn ইতোমধ্যে (prior to some time) · ru уже (so soon) · fr déjà (prior to some time) · ppl -ya (prior to some time) · de schon (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · uz allaqachon (prior to some time) · dng кәҗя (prior to some time) · ca ja (prior to some time) · it di già (so soon) · kw seulabrys (prior to some time) · aii ܥܲܕܠܵܐ (prior to some time) · yi שוין (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · hu már (prior to some time) · mt diġà (prior to some time) · tr zaten (prior to some time) · afb أوردي (prior to some time) · de schon (prior to some time) · pt já (so soon) · gl xa (prior to some time) · be ўжо (prior to some time) · ia jam (prior to some time) · aeb بِيد (prior to some time) · se juo (prior to some time) · it una buona volta (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · cmn 已經 /已经 (prior to some time) · cy eisoes (prior to some time) · tl na (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · pt já (prior to some time) · eu dagoeneko (prior to some time) · ru ра́нее (prior to some time) · pl już (prior to some time) · vec zà (prior to some time) · ppl -a (prior to some time) · gd cheana (prior to some time) · cdo 捌曾 (prior to some time) · sk už (so soon) · de endlich (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · aii ܟܒ݂ܲܪ (prior to some time) · fr déjà (so soon) · uk раніше (prior to some time) · io ja (prior to some time) · sc za (prior to some time) · sc ge (prior to some time) · it già (so soon) · ga cheana (prior to some time) · ajp مِن قبِل (prior to some time) · yi שוין (prior to some time) · mnc ᠠᡳᡶᡳᠨᡳ (prior to some time) · km ហើយ (prior to some time) · cmn 已经 (prior to some time) · mww twb (prior to some time) · fy al (prior to some time) · es ya (prior to some time) · mnc ᡝᠮᡤᡝᡵᡳ (prior to some time) · el ήδη (prior to some time) · el επιτέλους (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · ca ja (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · fa به این زودی (so soon) · gl xa (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · no allerede (prior to some time) · sl žé (prior to some time) · dsb južo (prior to some time) · ms sudah (prior to some time) · eo jam (prior to some time) · qu ña (prior to some time) · gl xa (so soon) · pox al (prior to some time) · hu már (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · acw قِيد (prior to some time) · hy արդեն (prior to some time) · fi valmiiksi (prior to some time) · ka უკვე (prior to some time) · sk hneď (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · fy alree (prior to some time) · za gaenq (prior to some time) · ca ja (so soon) · fur bielzà (prior to some time) · gd mar thà (prior to some time) · hu már (so soon) · ro odată (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · vec xà (prior to some time) · id sudah (prior to some time) · es ya (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · yue 已經 /已经 (prior to some time) · sv redan (prior to some time) · ar لقد (so soon) · da allerede (prior to some time) · ja とっくに (prior to some time) · ru уже́ (prior to some time) · aeb قبَل (prior to some time) · vi rồi (prior to some time) · nl nu al (so soon) · is þegar (prior to some time) · mn хэдийнээ (prior to some time) · el ήδη (so soon) · hi पहले ही (prior to some time) · ru ра́ньше (prior to some time) · fur dizà (prior to some time) · cmn 都 (prior to some time) · fi jo (prior to some time) · khb ᧟ (prior to some time) · sq tashmë (prior to some time) · cs již (prior to some time) · bg ве́че (prior to some time) · fr à la fin (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · fa دیگه (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · he כְּבָר (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · cir wai (prior to some time) · cs už (prior to some time) · ast yá (prior to some time) · es ya (so soon) · el πιά (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · acw قِد (prior to some time) · km រួចហើយ (prior to some time) · fo longu (prior to some time) · ar سَلَفًا (prior to some time) · ja もう (prior to some time) · ee xoxo (prior to some time) · fa اینک (prior to some time) · aeb أَصلًا (prior to some time) · be ужо́ (prior to some time) · aeb دِجَا (prior to some time) · uk вже́ (prior to some time) · nl al (so soon) · fa دیگر (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · tr artık (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · nl alreeds (prior to some time) · ang ǣr (prior to some time) · fi jo (so soon) · scn già (prior to some time) · km ហើយ (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · ko 벌써 (prior to some time) · hi पहले से (prior to some time) · tr çoktan (prior to some time) · cmn 早已 (prior to some time) · de bereits (prior to some time) · lv jau (prior to some time) · lt jau (prior to some time) · eu jadanik (prior to some time) · fa قبلاً (prior to some time) · ar مِنْ قَبْلُ (prior to some time) · sv allaredan (prior to some time) · fi jo (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · fr enfin (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · sk okamžite (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · nl reeds (prior to some time) · he כְּבָר (prior to some time) · izh jo (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · rsk уж раз (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · sh već (prior to some time) · chr ᎦᏳᎳ (prior to some time) · ja もはや (prior to some time) · az artıq (prior to some time) · lo ແລ້ວ (prior to some time) · sh већ (prior to some time) · ar قَد (prior to some time) · vi rồi (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · oc ja (prior to some time) · tg аллакай (prior to some time) · tg қаблан (prior to some time) · fur za (prior to some time) · nah ye (prior to some time) · de schon (so soon) · pt de uma vez (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · sk už (intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation) · ja 既に (prior to some time) · nup aní (prior to some time) · mn хэзээний (prior to some time) · el κιόλας (so soon) · la iam (prior to some time) · mn аль хэдийн (prior to some time)