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Latakia
latch
latch on
latch onto
latchet
latchkey
latchkey child
latchstring
late
late adopter
late blight
late cut
late date
late developer
late Greek
late Hebrew
late Latin
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late
late [ layt ]


adjective  (comparative lat·er, superlative lat·est)
Definition:
 
1. after expected time: happening or arriving after an expected or arranged time
Hurry up or we'll be late!
2. after usual time: happening or done after the normal or usual time
a late lunch
3. near end of period: near the end of a particular period of time
The meeting is scheduled for late morning.
4. into night: well into the evening or night
It's late - time for bed.
5. dead: having died, especially fairly recently
my late grandfather
6. up until recently: having recently done something, lived somewhere, or belonged to a group or organization but no longer doing so
That reporter, late of the European bureau, is now moving to Southeast Asia.
7. done toward end of career: produced near the end of somebody's career or life
a late Degas


adverb  (comparative lat·er, superlative lat·est)
Definition:
 
1. not on time: after an expected or arranged time
He arrived late.
2. beyond usual time: after the usual or normal time
She had to work late.
3. near end of period: toward the end of a period of time
These birds tend to nest late in the year.
4. well into evening: at or until a point well into the evening or night
Their flight is due late on Friday.
5. recently: relatively recently
She didn't pack her bags until as late as yesterday.
[ Old English læt< Indo-European, "let go"]

late·ness noun

of late recently

Word Usage
late meaning "deceased":

In obituaries or death announcements the person in question is hardly ever described as the late... Nor is it usual for somebody who died centuries ago to be described in that way. The purpose of late is to serve as a reminder that the person in question is no longer living. In an obituary, that much is obvious, so late is not needed. Nor is it needed in historical contexts, except to indicate that somebody was dead by a particular time: By 1800 Thomas Jefferson's late wife, Martha....

Word Key: Synonyms

See dead.
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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