Meanings
- Northern EnglandScotlandnot comparableEarly; at a time before expected; sooner than usual.
Mudchester Rovers conceded two goals early doors and never got back into the game.
- Northern Englandnot comparableEarly, near the start or beginning.
The party was very dull, so I made an early doors exit.
- Cockneypluralplural onlyslangWomen's drawers.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
According to some, the phrase originated at a time when English pubs closed in the afternoon as a term for customers who were waiting or arrived soon after the pub re-opened in the evening. Alternatively, the phrase is said to originate in the theatre world, where it described a facility available to early-arriving members of the audience, who were allowed to avoid the crush and choose the best seats in return for paying a small premium.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
early doors. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20doors
“early doors.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20doors. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “early doors,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/early%20doors.
Source: early doors on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.