late1 /leɪt/ ●●● S1 W1 adjectiveadj (comparativecomp later, superlativesupl latest) 1 after expected time 晚于预期时间LATE arriving, happening, or done after the time that was expected, agreed, or arranged 晚的,迟的;迟到的 OPP early Sorry I’m late – I overslept. 对不起,来晚了——我睡过头了。
ten minutes/two hours etc late You’re half an hour late. 你迟到了半个小时。
The train was even later than usual. 火车到得甚至比平时还晚。
We apologize for the late departure of flight AZ709. 我们为AZ709航班延误起飞表示歉意。
There are penalties if loan repayments are late. 逾期偿还贷款会被处以罚金。
late for Cheryl was late for school. 谢里尔上学迟到了。
late with We’ve never been late with the rent. 我们从来不拖欠租金。
2 near the end 将近末尾 [only before noun]END used to refer to the part near the end of a period of time 晚期的,后期的 OPP early Paul’s in his late forties. 保罗快50岁了。
a late eighteenth-century building 一幢18世纪末的建筑
in the late 1980s 20世纪80年代末期
By late afternoon, she had done 10 drawings. 到傍晚的时候,她已经画好了10幅画。
3 be too late to arrive or do something after the time when something could or should have been done 已经太晚,为时已晚 He shouted a warning but it was too late. 他大声警告,但为时已晚。
too late to do something Are we too late to get tickets? 我们是不是太晚了,买不到票了?
It was too late to turn back. 现在回头已经太晚。
be too late• But now I believe it is too late.• By the time I went back for it, it was too late.• He tried to think of something to do or say, but it was too late.• If you listen to the conventional wisdom in foreign-policy circles, it is too late.• It is by no means so simple for the insurer who is ignorant of that until in some senses it is too late.• That is the stark truth electors have to grasp before it is too late.• This alarming error had been spotted by his Deputy when it was too late to do anything much about it.• When that happens, it will be too late to start building a missile defense. 4 after usual time 晚于通常时间LATE happening or done after the usual or normal time 晚的 The harvest was late this year because of the rain. 因为下雨,今年收割晚了。
She looked tired – too many late nights (=nights when she went to bed after the normal time). 她看上去很累——熬夜太多了。
5 evening 晚上 near the end of a day 近深夜的 It’s late – I’d better go home. 很晚了,我还是回家吧。
6 dead 已故的DEAD [only before noun] dead 故去的late husband/wife Mrs. Moore’s late husband 穆尔太太已故的丈夫
7 late developer/bloomer MI a) a child who develops socially, emotionally, or physically at a later age than other children 发育晚的孩子 b) someone who does not become successful until they are older 大器晚成的人 late developer/bloomer• He was bright, but a late developer.• He was what you'd call a late developer.• The latest developer claims to have carried out extensive research into the feasibility of providing medical treatment in Darlington.• I suppose you could say I was a something of a late developer in two out of three.• Although a late developer, it began to take on the size and conformation of an excellent Clydesdale stallion. 8 it’s (a little/bit) late in the day (to do something) LATEused to show disapproval because someone has done something too late (做某事)已(有点)晚了,已经(有点)来不及 It’s a bit late in the day to start having objections. 现在才开始反对有点晚了。
9 late of something formalLEAVE YOUR HOME/COUNTRY used about someone who has died fairly recently 故去前住在某地的〔用于指最近故去的某人〕 Billy Hicks, late of this parish 不久前故去的本教区的比利·希克斯
late of something• Julia Loukyanov, late of Moscow
—lateness noun [uncountableU] penalties for lateness at work 对上班迟到的处罚
despite the lateness of the hour 尽管时间已晚
n GRAMMAR: Patterns with lateYou are late for work, school, a meeting etc: I was late for my appointment.
You are late for your train, bus, plane etc: Hurry up or you’ll be late for your train!
You are late with something that you have to produce, for example your work or the rent: He was always late with his homework.
You are late doing something: They were late paying the rent.
You can also say that someone is late in doing something: They were late in paying the rent.
THESAURUSlate arriving or happening after the time that was expected or arranged 晚的;迟到的The bus was late. 公共汽车晚了。
Spring seems to be very late this year. 今年的春天好像来得很晚。
not on time not arriving or doing something at the time that was expected or arranged 不准时的He never hands his homework in on time. 他从不按时交作业。
If we don’t leave on time, we’ll miss the flight. 要是我们不准时出发,就赶不上飞机了。
overdue not done or happening by the expected time – used especially about payments that are late or library books that should have been returned 到期未付[还,做]的〔尤指付款或还书〕Your rent is three weeks overdue. 你已经拖欠租金三个星期了。
I had to pay a £3 fine on some overdue library books. 我有几本图书馆的书到期没有归还,得罚3英镑。
be behind with something British EnglishBrE, be behind on something American EnglishAmE to be late in doing something that you have to do 做某事迟了I can’t come out because I’m behind with my English essay. 我不能出去,我英文作文都要写不完了。
be held up to be made late for a meeting, appointment etc by something that happens, especially by bad traffic 〔尤因交通堵塞〕被耽搁I was held up by a traffic jam. 我因为交通堵塞被耽搁了。
be delayed to be prevented from arriving, leaving, or happening at the expected time – often used about public transport 〔常指公共交通〕延误The flight was delayed by bad weather. 航班因天气恶劣而延误了。
belated /bɪˈleɪtəd/ given or done late – used especially about something that someone has forgotten or failed to do 迟来的a belated birthday card 迟到的生日卡
I’m still hoping for a belated apology from him. 虽然已经迟了,但我仍希望听到他的一声道歉。
tardy especially American EnglishAmE formal arriving or happening late 晚的;迟到的a habitually tardy person 惯于迟到的人
be in arrears /əˈrɪəz $ əˈrɪrz/ formal to have not made one or more regular payments at the time when you should 到期未付One in eight mortgage payers are in arrears. 有八分之一的按揭贷款者拖欠还款。