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Already

//ɔːlˈɹɛdi// adv

Definitions

Adverb
  1. 1
    Prior to some specified time, either past, present, or future; by this time; previously. not-comparable

    "I was surprised that she hadn’t already told me the news."

  2. 2
    So soon. not-comparable

    "Are you quitting already?"

  3. 3
    An intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation. Canada, US, not-comparable

    "I wish they'd finish already, so we can get going."

  4. 4
    Indicates the completion of an action (whether past or hypothetical), or more generally, perfective aspect. Singapore, Singlish, not-comparable

    "You frame the picture for me already anot?"

  5. 5
    Marks a change in state, more or less in the same manner as the inchoative aspect. Singapore, Singlish, not-comparable

    "I don’t think he can take it already."

Adverb
  1. 1
    prior to a specified or implied time wordnet

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).

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