the.com/earlier
The past wearing a comparative hat, smug about beating the clock.
means Before now, or before some other moment already mentioned in the conversation.
from From Old English ǣr, meaning before or soon, plus the comparative -er — literally more before, which is grammar pretending to make sense.
Sneaky pivotApologies often begin with as I said earlier.
Time mathComparative of early, superlative is earliest.
Relative timingEarlier is always measured against another moment, not absolute.