late
1. being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time (Freq. 33)
- late evening
- late 18th century
- a late movie
- took a late flight
- had a late breakfast
• Ant:
early, middle
• Similar to:
advanced, ripe, after-hours, latish, posthumous
• Derivationally related forms:
lateness
• Attrubites:
timing
2. after the expected or usual time;
delayed (Freq. 4)
- a belated birthday card
- I'm late for the plane
- the train is late
- tardy children are sent to the principal
- always tardy in making dental appointments
• Syn:
belated, tardy
• Similar to:
unpunctual
• Derivationally related forms:
tardiness (for: tardy), lateness
3. of the immediate past or just previous to the present time (Freq. 3)
- a late development
- their late quarrel
- his recent trip to Africa
- in recent months
- a recent issue of the journal
• Syn:
recent
• Similar to:
past
• Derivationally related forms:
recency (for: recent), recentness (for: recent), lateness
4. having died recently (Freq. 3)
- her late husband
• Similar to:
dead
5. of a later stage in the development of a language or literature;
used especially of dead languages (Freq. 2)
- Late Greek
• Ant:
early, middle
• Similar to:
Modern, New
• Derivationally related forms:
lateness
• Topics:
linguistics
6. at or toward an end or late period or stage of development (Freq. 1)
- the late phase of feudalism
- a later symptom of the disease
- later medical science could have saved the child
• Syn:
later
• Ant:
early
• Similar to:
advanced, tardive
• Derivationally related forms:
lateness
7. (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
- the former president
- our late President is still very active
- the previous occupant of the White House
• Syn:
former, previous
• Similar to:
past
1. later than usual or than expected (Freq. 16)
- the train arrived late
- we awoke late
- the children came late to school
- notice came so tardily that we almost missed the deadline
- I belatedly wished her a happy birthday
• Syn:
belatedly, tardily
• Ant:
early
• Derived from adjective:
tardy (for: tardily), belated (for: belatedly)
2. to an advanced time (Freq. 3)
- deep into the night
- talked late into the evening
• Syn:
deep
3. at an advanced age or stage
- she married late
- undertook the project late in her career
4. in the recent past
- he was in Paris recently
- lately the rules have been enforced
- as late as yesterday she was fine
- feeling better of late
- the spelling was first affected, but latterly the meaning also
• Syn:
recently, lately, of late, latterly
• Derived from adjective:
recent (for: recently)
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