late

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English Vietnamese dictionary

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Advanced English dictionary

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adjective, adverb
+ adjective (later, latest)
1 [only before noun] near the end of a period of time, a person's life, etc: in the late afternoon + in late summer + She married in her late twenties (= when she was 28 or 29). + In later life he started playing golf. + The school was built in the late 1970s. + a late Victorian house + his late plays / work + a late goal / penalty + The concert was cancelled at a very late stage.
Antonym: EARLY
2 [not usually before noun] arriving, happening or done after the expected, arranged or usual time: I'm sorry I'm late. + She's late for work every day. + My flight was an hour late. + We apologize for the late arrival of this train. + Because of the cold weather the crops are later this year. + Interest will be charged for late payment. + Here is a late news flash. + Some children are very late developers.
Antonym: EARLY
3 near the end of the day: Let's go home-it's getting late. + Look at the time-it's much later than I thought. + What are you doing up at this late hour? + What is the latest time I can have an appointment? + I've had too many late nights recently (= when I've gone to bed very late).
Antonym: EARLY
4 [only before noun] (of a person) no longer alive: her late husband + the late Freddie Mercury
lateness noun [U]: They apologized for the lateness of the train. + Despite the lateness of the hour, the children were not in bed.
See also - LATER, LATEST
Idioms: be too late happening after the time when it is possible to do sth: It's too late to save her now. + Buy now before it's too late. + I'm afraid you're too late to apply for the job. + The doctors did all they could, but it was too late.
+ adverb (comparative later, no superlative)
1 after the expected, arranged or usual time: I got up late. + Can I stay up late tonight? + She has to work late tomorrow. + The big stores are open later on Thursdays. + She married late. + The birthday card arrived three days late.
2 near the end of a period of time, a person's life, etc: late in March / the afternoon + It happened late last century-in 1895 to be exact. + As late as (= as recently as) the 1950s, tuberculosis was still a fatal illness. + He became an author late in life.
3 near the end of the day: There's a good film on late. + Late that evening, there was a knock at the door. + Share prices fell early on but rose again late in the day. + They worked late into the night to finish the report.
See also - LATER
Antonym: EARLY
Idioms
better late than never (saying) used especially when you, or sb else, arrive late, or when sth such as success happens late, to say that this is better than not coming or happening at all
late in the day (disapproving) after the time when an action could be successful: He started working hard much too late in the day-he couldn't possibly catch up.
late of ... (formal) until recently working or living in the place mentioned: Professor Jones, late of Oxford University
of late (formal) recently: I haven't seen him of late. + The situation has become more confusing of late.
too late after the time when it is possible to do sth successfully: She's left it too late to apply for the job. + I realized the truth too late.
more at SOON
GRAMMAR POINT
late / lately
Late and lately are both adverbs, but late is used with similar meanings to the adjective late, whereas lately can only mean 'recently': We arrived two hours late. + I haven't heard from him lately. Lately is usually used with a perfect tense of the verb.
Look also at the idioms be too late (at the adjective) and too late (at the adverb).

Thesaurus dictionary

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adj.

1 tardy, delayed, overdue, behindhand, dilatory, unpunctual; belated, US past due:

He was even late for his own wedding. Better late than never. Your mortgage payment is late again

2 recent, last, new, fresh, current, up to date:

Have you got a copy of a late edition of today's newspaper?

3 deceased, departed, dead; former, past, ex-, recent, previous, preceding, old (See also 5., below.):

Here is a song by the late, great Bing Crosby. He has a meeting with Lord Pamby, late chairman of United Oxidation

4 of late. See 5., below.

adv.

5 recently, lately, previously, formerly, once, heretofore, in recent or former time(s), of late, latterly (See also 3., above.):

They are dining tonight with Sir Keith, late of Scotland Yard.

6 till or at an advanced hour or time:

I was up late last night. She married late.

7 tardily, unpunctually, belatedly:

We arrived too late for the first act.

8 recently, lately:

As late as a week ago they were still holding the job open for her.

Collocation dictionary

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VERBS

be, feel, seem

I don't know what the time is, but it feels quite late.

| make sb

ADV.

extremely, really, very | a bit, fairly, a little, quite, rather, relatively

PREP.

for

I'm late for work.

| in

He took up music late in life.

| with

He was now three weeks late with his rent.

PHRASES

an hour, ten minutes, etc. late

The train was 45 minutes late.

| leave it a bit/rather/very late

You've left it a bit late to start your homework, haven't you?

Concise English dictionary

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later|latestleɪt
adj.
+being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
+after the expected or usual time; delayed
+of the immediate past or just previous to the present time
+having died recently
+of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages
+at or toward an end or late period or stage of development
+(used especially of persons) of the immediate past
adv.
+later than usual or than expected
+to an advanced time
+at an advanced age or stage
+in the recent past

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