late

[[t]le͟ɪt[/t]]

♦

later, latest

1) ADV-GRADED: ADV with cl, ADV prep/n Late means near the end of a day, week, year, or other period of time.

It was late in the afternoon...

She had to work late at night...

His autobiography was written late in life...

The case is expected to end late next week...

Since late last year the border area has been the scene of heavy fighting.

Ant:

early

ADJ-GRADED: ADJ n

Late is also an adjective.

The talks eventually broke down in late spring... He was in his late 20s. ...the late 1960's.

2) ADJ-GRADED: v-link ADJ If it is late, it is near the end of the day or it is past the time that you feel something should have been done.

It was very late and the streets were deserted...

We've got to go now. It's getting late.

Derived words:

lateness N-UNCOUNT

A large crowd had gathered despite the lateness of the hour.

3) ADV-GRADED: ADV after v, oft amount ADV Late means after the time that was arranged or expected.

Steve arrived late...

The talks began some fifteen minutes late...

We got up late.

Derived words:

lateness N-UNCOUNT

He apologised for his lateness.

ADJ-GRADED: oft amount ADJ

Late is also an adjective.

His campaign got off to a late start... We were a little late... The train was 40 minutes late... He's a half hour late.

4) ADV-GRADED: ADV after v Late means after the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.

We went to bed very late...

He married late.

ADJ-GRADED: ADJ n

Late is also an adjective.

They had a late lunch in a cafe... He was a very late developer.

5) ADJ: det ADJ You use late when you are talking about someone who is dead, especially someone who has died recently.

...my late husband.

...the late Mr Parkin.

6) ADJ: v-link ADJ of n Someone who is late of a particular place or institution lived or worked there until recently. [FORMAL]

...Cousin Zachary, late of Bellevue Avenue.

...Strobe Talbott, late of Time magazine.

7) → See also , latest

8) CONVENTION If you say better late than never when someone has done something, you think they should have done it earlier.

It's been a long time coming but better late than never.

9) PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR with cl If you say that someone is doing something late in the day, you mean that their action or behaviour may not be fully effective because they have waited too long before doing it.

I'd left it all too late in the day to get anywhere with these strategies.

10) PHRASE: PHR with cl You use of late to refer to an event or state of affairs that happened or began to exist a short time ago. [FORMAL]

His life has changed of late...

The dollar has been stronger of late.

Syn:

recently

11) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR with v If an action or event is too late, it is useless or ineffective because it occurs after the best time for it.

It was too late to turn back...

We realized too late that we were caught like rats in a trap.

12) a late night → see night