date vs early

date

noun
  • A specific day in time at which a transaction or event takes place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of time. 

  • The date palm. 

  • The addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which specifies the time (especially the day, month, and year) when the writing or inscription was given, executed, or made. 

  • A romantic meeting or outing with a lover or potential lover, or the person so met. 

  • One's companion for social activities or occasions. 

  • A pre-arranged meeting. 

  • The fruit of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, somewhat in the shape of an olive, containing a soft, sweet pulp and enclosing a hard kernel. 

  • A point in time. 

  • Assigned end; conclusion. 

verb
  • To have a steady relationship with; to be romantically involved with. 

  • To determine the age of something. 

  • To note the time or place of writing or executing; to express in an instrument the time of its execution. 

  • To take (someone) on a date, or a series of dates. 

  • To have a steady relationship with each other; to be romantically involved with each other. 

  • To have beginning; to begin; to be dated or reckoned. 

  • To make or become old, especially in such a way as to fall out of fashion, become less appealing or attractive, etc. 

  • To note or fix the time of (an event); to give the date of. 

early

noun
  • A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day. 

adj
  • Near the start or beginning. 

  • Near the start of the day. 

  • Having begun to occur; in its early stages. 

  • At a time in advance of the usual or expected event. 

  • Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time. 

  • Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun. 

adv
  • At a time before expected; sooner than usual. 

  • Soon; in good time; seasonably. 

How often have the words date and early occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )