King James Bible Dictionary

LATE, adjective [This word is from the root of let, the sense of which is to draw out, extend or prolong, hence to be slow or late See Let. This adjective has regular terminations of the comparative and superlative degrees, later, latest, but it has also latter, and latest is often contracted into last.]

1. Coming after the usual time; slow; tardy; long delayed; as a late spring; a late summer. The crops or harvest will be late

2. Far advanced towards the end or close; as a late hour of the day. He began at a late period of his life.

3. Last, or recently in any place, office or character; as the late ministry; the late administration.

4. Existing not long ago, but now decayed or departed; as the late bishop of London.

5. Not long past; happening not long ago; recent; as the late rains. We have received late intelligence.

LATE, adverb

1. After the usual time, or the time appointed; after delay; as, he arrived late

2. After the proper or usual season. This year the fruits ripen late

3. Not long ago; lately.

And round them throng with leaps and bounds the late imprison'd young.

4. Far in the night, day, week, or other particular period; as, to lie a-bed late; to sit up late at night.

Of late lately, in time not long past, or near the present. The practice is of late uncommon.

Too late after the proper time; not in due time. We arrived too late to see the procession.

LA'TED, adjective Belated; being too late. [Not used.]

LAT'EEN, adjective A lateen sail is a triangular sail, extended by a lateen yard, which is slung about one quarter the distance from the lower end, which is brought down at the tack while the other end is elevated at an angle of about 45 degrees; used in xebecs, polacres and settees, in the Mediterranean.

LA'TELY, adverb Not long ago; recently. We called on a gentleman who has lately arrived from Italy.

LA'TENCY, noun [See Latent.] The state of being concealed; abstruseness.

LA'TENESS, noun

1. The state of being tardy, or of coming after the usual time; as the lateness of spring or of harvest.

2. Time far advanced in any particular period; as lateness of the day or night; lateness in the season; lateness in life.

3. The state of being out of time, or after the appointed time; as the lateness of one's arrival.

LA'TENT, adjective [Latin latens, lateo; Gr; Heb. to cover.]

Hid; concealed; secret; not seen; not visible or apparent. We speak of latent motives; latent reasons; latent springs of action.

Latent heat, is heat in combination, in distinction from sensible heat; the portion of heat which disappears, when a body changes its form from the solid to the fluid, or from the fluid to the aeriform state.

LA'TER, adjective [comparative deg. of late.] Posterior; subsequent.

LAT'ERAL, adjective [Latin lateralis, from latus, a side, and broad, Gr., Eng. flat. The primary sense of these words is to extend, as in late, let.]

1. Pertaining to the side; as the lateral view of an object.

2. Proceeding from the side; as the lateral branches of a tree; lateral shoots.

LATERAL'ITY, noun The quality of having distinct sides. [Not used.]

LAT'ERALLY, adverb

1. By the side; sideways.

2. In the direction of the side.

LAT'ERAN, noun One of the churches at Rome. The name is said to have been derived from that of a man.

A latere, [Latin] A legate a latere, is a pope's legate or envoy, so called because sent from his side, from among his favorites and counselors.

LA'TERED, adjective Delayed. obsolete

LATERIFO'LIOUS, adjective [Latin latus, side, and folium, leaf.]

In botany, growing on the side of a leaf at the base; as a laterifolious flower.

LATERI'TIOUS, adjective [Latin lateritius, from later, a brick.] Like bricks; of the color of bricks.

Lateritious sediment, a sediment in urine resembling brick dust, observed after the crises of fevers, and at the termination of gouty paroxysms.