adj (1)晚(迟)的(coming after the agreed or usual time)[尤作 pred]：The train/flight was ten minutes～. 火车/班机晚点10分钟。be～for lunch/work/school午饭/工作/上学迟到;be～for the train 没赶上火车;The boy was～(in) getting up this morning. 那个男孩今天起床晚了。 The bus was～(in) arriving. 汽车来晚了。We were～with lunch today. 今天我们午饭吃晚了。It is never too～to learn/mend.(prov)活到老，学到老/亡羊补牢，永不为晚。a～marriage晚婚;a～riser晚起的人;〖反〗early;

(2)较晚的，靠后的，后期的(far on in the day，night，period of time，series，etc)：in the～morning/afternoon 接近中午/傍晚时分;in～spring/summer 在暮春/夏末季节;in～June 6月下旬;in one's～forties 四十八、九岁时;in the～eighteenth century 在18世纪后期;till a～hour 直到深夜;sit up till～at night 深夜才睡;〖反〗 early;

(3)最新(近)的(recent)[作attrib][尤用于最高级]：the～invention/model 最新的发明/型号;the～agreement between the two countries 两国之间的最新协定;his～st novel 他最近出版的小说;the～st fashions from Paris 来自巴黎的最新流行款式;the～st news 最新消息;

(4)前……，已故的(so recent but not now;recently dead)[作attrib]：the～government/prime minister 上届政府/前首相;sb's～husband/father 某人已故的丈夫/父亲;

at the latest 最晚(迟)：Be at the airport at 7 o'clock at the～st. 最晚7点钟要到达飞机场。

of late 最近，近来：I have been busy/rather ill of～.近来我一直很忙/身体很不好。

→′latecomer n 后来者;′lately adv;′lateness n 晚，迟;

adv (1)晚，迟(after the agreed or usual time)：get up/go to bed～起床/睡觉晚;come to school～上学迟到;arrive～for an appointment 约会迟到;come home～at night 晚上很晚回家;Better～than never.(prov)晚做总比不做好。He got here five minutes～. 他迟到了五分钟。〖反〗 early;

(2)到很晚，末期(at or till an advanced hour;far on in a period of time)：I've got to study/work～tonight. 今晚我得学习/工作到很晚。He reached success/married～in life. 他晚年才获得成功/结婚。～in spring/autumn 在暮春/秋末;～last century/in 1980's 上个世纪末/20世纪80年代后期;〖反〗 early;

later on 后来，以后：Later on he pawned his watch. 后来他把手表当了。Can we talk about it～r on? 我们以后再谈这事行吗?

【辨异】later与after和afterwards的区别见AFTER。