late

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Adjective 1.2.1.1 Usage notes 1.2.1.2 Translations 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Adverb 1.3.1.1 Derived terms 1.3.1.2 Translations 1.4 References 2 Dutch 2.1 Adjective 3 Latin 3.1 Adverb 3.1.1 Related terms 4 Old English 4.1 Etymology 4.2 Adverb 5 Spanish 5.1 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /leɪt/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -eɪt

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English late, from Old English læt.

[edit] Adjective

late (comparative later, superlative latest)

1. Near the end of a period of time.
   • It was late in the evening when we finally arrived.
2. Specifically, near the end of the day.
   • It was getting late and I was tired.
3. (usually not used comparatively) Associated with the end of a period.
   • Late Latin is less fully inflected than classical Latin.
4. Not arriving until after an expected time.
   • Even though we drove as fast as we could, we were still late.
   • Panos was so late that he arrived at the meeting after Antonio, who had the valid excuse of being in hospital - in intensive care - for most of the night.
5. (not comparable, euphemism) Deceased, dead: used particularly when speaking of the dead person's actions while alive. (Often used with the; see usage notes.)
   • Her late husband had left her well provided for.
   • The piece was composed by the late Igor Stravinsky.
6. Recent -- relative to the noun it modifies.

   1914 Robert Frost, North of Boston, "A Hundred Collars":

   • Lancaster bore him -- such a little town, / Such a great man. It doesn't see him often / Of late years, though he keeps the old homestead / And sends the children down there with their mother [...]

[edit] Usage notes

• (deceased): Late in this sense is unusual among English adjectives in that it occurs in phrases like the late Mary without being contrasted with another Mary who is not late. Contrast hungry: the hungry Mary can only be used if another Mary is under discussion who is not hungry, and is stilted even under such circumstances.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Etymology 2

From Old English late

[edit] Adverb

late (comparative later, superlative latest)

1. After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.

   We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late.

[edit] Derived terms

• a day late and a dollar short
• as of late
• better late than never
• day late, dollar short
• late night
• latecomer
• lately
• later
• sooner or later

[edit] Translations

[edit] References

• 2009 April 3, Peter T. Daniels, "Re: Has 'late' split up into a pair of homonyms?", message-ID <bdb13686-a6e4-43cd-8445-efe353365394@l13g2000vba.googlegroups.com>, alt.usage.english and sci.lang, Usenet.

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[edit] Dutch

[edit] Adjective

late

1. Alternate form of laat.

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[edit] Latin

[edit] Adverb

lātē (comparative lātius, superlative lātissimē)

1. broadly, widely
2. extensively
3. far and wide, everywhere
4. lavishly, to excess

[edit] Related terms

• lātus

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[edit] Old English

[edit] Etymology

Adverbial form of læt

[edit] Adverb

late

1. late

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[edit] Spanish

[edit] Verb

late (infinitive: latir)

1. informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of latir.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present indicative form of latir.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of latir.