up with the larks

Definitions

to be awake and active early in the morning
to describe someone who wakes up very early in the morning, often before the sun rises
to start something early in the day
to indicate that something begins or happens early in the morning

Examples of up with the larks

Mary is an early bird and wakes up with the larks every morning at 5:00 am to go for a run.

The idiom "up with the larks" refers to waking up very early, as larks are birds that sing in the early morning. By saying Mary is "up with the larks," we mean that she is an early riser who wakes up at a very early hour. In this example, we use the idiom in a sentence to describe Mary's habit of waking up early for her morning exercise routine.
When Alex's alarm clock goes off at 6:00 am, he groggily hits "snooze" for half an hour, and then finally gets up with the larks.

Here, we see the idiom used in a similar context, but with a different verb or action. Alex doesn't necessarily wake up immediately when his alarm goes off, but he does eventually get up at a very early hour, just like larks do.
After a long night of partying, John promised himself that he would wake up with the larks the next morning to beat his hangover.

In this example, we see the idiom used to describe the action that someone wants or intends to do, rather than an actual habit. John wants to wake up early to help deal with his hangover, just like a lark would, by starting his day early.
The sun had barely risen above the horizon when Rachel's train pulled into the station. She was already up with the larks, having left her house hours earlier.

Here, we see the idiom used to describe a situation or event, rather than the actions of a person. By saying the sun hasn't even risen, we mean that it's still very early in the morning, much like the time when larks typically wake up and start singing.
The sandwich board man was up with the larks, aggressively promoting his business on the empty streets at the crack of dawn.

To be up with the larks means to wake up very early in the morning, before most people. In this example, the man is out promoting his business before most people are even awake.
I'm not a morning person, but I've been trying to be up with the larks lately, hoping to start my day with some productivity.

In this example, the speaker is admitting that they're not naturally an early bird, but they're attempting to change their habits and start their day earlier in order to be more productive.
The birds were up with the larks, singing sweetly in the early morning light.

This example is a bit literal - it means that the birds were waking up and singing right at sunrise.
The train was up with the larks, rumbling through the sleepy town as the locals stirred from their slumber.

Another literal use, this example means that the train was leaving the station very early in the morning, before most people were awake and about their business.

Conclusion

The idiom "up with the larks" is used to describe someone who is awake and active early in the morning, often before the sun rises. It can also be used to indicate that something begins or happens early in the day.

Origin of "up with the larks"

The phrase "up with the larks" originates from the behavior of larks, which are birds known for their early morning singing and activity. The idiom implies that someone is awake and active at the same time as these birds, suggesting a very early start to the day. This phrase has been used in English language for centuries and continues to be a commonly used expression to describe early risers.