1. [adv]  later than usual or than expected; "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"
2. [adv]  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"
3. [adv]  to an advanced time; "deep into the night"; "talked late into the evening"
4. [adv]  at an advanced age or stage; "she married late"; "undertook the project late in her career"
5. [adj]  being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time; "late evening"; "late 18th century"; "a late movie"; "took a late flight"; "had a late breakfast"
6. [adj]  at or toward an end or late period or stage of development; "the late phase of feudalism"; "a later symptom of the disease"; "later medical science could have saved the child"
7. [adj]  (linguistics) of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages; "Late Greek"
8. [adj]  after the expected or usual time; delayed; "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"

Late
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1. \Late\, a. [Compar. {Later}, or {latter}; superl.
   {Latest}.] [OE. lat slow, slack, AS. l[ae]t; akin to OS. lat,
   D. laat late, G. lass weary, lazy, slack, Icel. latr, Sw.
   lat, Dan. lad, Goth. lats, and to E. let, v. See {Let} to
   permit, and cf. {Alas}, {Lassitude}.]
   1. Coming after the time when due, or after the usual or
      proper time; not early; slow; tardy; long delayed; as, a
      late spring.
   2. Far advanced toward the end or close; as, a late hour of
      the day; a late period of life.
   3. Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not
      now; lately deceased, departed, or gone out of office; as,
      the late bishop of London; the late administration.
   4. Not long past; happening not long ago; recent; as, the
      late rains; we have received late intelligence.
   5. Continuing or doing until an advanced hour of the night;
      as, late revels; a late watcher.
   

2. \Late\, adv. [AS. late. See {Late}, a.]
   1. After the usual or proper time, or the time appointed;
      after delay; as, he arrived late; -- opposed to {early}.
   2. Not long ago; lately.
   3. Far in the night, day, week, or other particular period;
      as, to lie abed late; to sit up late at night.
   {Of late}, in time not long past, or near the present;
      lately; as, the practice is of late uncommon.
   {Too late}, after the proper or available time; when the time
      or opportunity is past.