132} lateness &c adj.; tardiness &c (slowness) 275.
delay, delation; cunctation, procrastination; deferring, deferral
&c v.; postponement, adjournment, prorogation, retardation, respite,
pause, reprieve, stay of execution; protraction, prolongation; Fabian
policy, medecine expectante [Fr.], chancery suit, federal case; leeway;
high time; moratorium, holdover.
V. be late &c adj.; tarry, wait, stay, bide, take time; dawdle &c (be
inactive) 683; linger, loiter; bide one's time, take one's time; gain
time; hang fire; stand over, lie over.
put off, defer, delay, lay over, suspend; table [Parl.]; shift
off, stave off; waive, retard, remand, postpone, adjourn;
procrastinate; dally; prolong, protract; spin out, draw out, lengthen
out, stretch out; prorogue; keep back; tide over; push to the last,
drive to the last; let the matter stand over; reserve &c (store) 636;
temporize; consult one's pillow, sleep on it.
lose an opportunity &c 135; be kept waiting, dance attendance;
kick one's heels, cool one's heels; faire antichambre [Fr.]; wait
impatiently; await &c (expect) 507; sit up, sit up at night.
Adj. late, tardy, slow, behindhand, serotine†, belated, postliminious†,
posthumous, backward, unpunctual, untimely; delayed, postponed;
dilatory &c (slow) 275; delayed &c v.; in abeyance.
Adv. late; lateward†, backward; late in the day; at sunset, at the
eleventh hour, at length, at last; ultimately; after time, behind time,
after the deadline; too late; too late for &c 135.
slowly, leisurely, deliberately, at one's leisure; ex post facto;
sine die.
Phr. nonum prematur in annum [Lat.] [Horace]; against the sunbeams
serotine and lucent [Longfellow]; ie meglio tardi che mai [It];
deliberando saepe perit occasio [Lat.] [Syrus].