late (redirected from late in the game)

Better late than never.

Prov. Cliché Doing something late is better than not doing it. I'm sorry I'm late to the party. Better late than never, right? Jill: Lisa's birthday was two weeks ago. Should I send her a card now? Jane: Better late than never.

See also: better, never

day late and a dollar short

late and ill-prepared. Tommy, you seem to show up a day late and a dollar short all the time. You need to get organized.

See also: and, day, dollar, short

It is never too late to learn. and You are never too old to learn.

Prov. You can always learn something new. Alan: Help me make the salad dressing. Jane: But I don't know anything about making salad dressing. Alan: You are never too old to learn. Grandma decided to take a course in using computers. "It's never too late to learn," she said.

See also: learn, never

It is never too late to mend.

Prov. It is never too late to apologize for something you have done or try to repair something you have done wrong. Sue: I still miss Tony, but it's been a year since our big fight and we haven't spoken to each other since. Mother: Well, it's never too late to mend; why don't you call him up and apologize?

See also: mend, never

keep late hours

to stay up or stay out until very late at night. I'm always tired because I keep late hours. If I didn't keep late hours, I wouldn't sleep so late in the morning.

See also: hour, keep

late bloomer 

1. Lit. a plant that blooms later than similar plants or that blooms late in the season. There are a few late bloomers in the garden, but by fall, we don't care much anymore about flowers.

2. Fig. a person who finally develops a useful or superior skill or talents later than expected or desired. Joseph was a late bloomer, but turned out to be a formidable scholar in the long run.

late in life

Fig. when one is old. Grandma injured her hip running. She's exercising rather late in life. Isn't it sort of late in life for your grandparents to buy a house?

See also: life

late in the day

Fig. far along in a project or activity; too late in a project or activity for action, decisions, etc., to be taken. It was a bit late in the day for him to apologize. It's late in the day to try to change the plans.

See also: day

late unpleasantness

Euph. the U.S. Civil War. (Old.) The town courthouse was burned in the late unpleasantness. Many of my ancestors lost their lives in the late unpleasantness.

of late

lately. Have you seen Sally of late? We haven't had an opportunity to eat out of late.

stay up late

to remain awake and out of bed later than usual. I am in the practice of staying up late. I can't stay up late three nights in a row.

See also: stay, up

too little, too late

Prov. Not enough help to save the situation, and arriving too late. After a lifetime of bad diet and no exercise, Lorna tried to save her health by improving her habits, but it was too little, too late. Fred: I know how to keep my business from going bankrupt. I'll invest all my savings in it. Bill: I'm sorry, Fred; even that much would be too little, too late.

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Better late than never.

something that you say which means it is better for someone or something to be late than never to arrive or to happen 'Karen's card arrived 2 weeks after my birthday.' 'Oh well, better late than never.'

See also: better, never

late in the day

too late to be useful (often + for ) The new gun laws came a little late in the day for those whose friends or families were killed in the massacre. (often + to do sth) It seems rather late in the day to announce that diet drinks might cause cancer.

See Better late than never

See also: day

too little, too late

if the help that is given to a person is described as too little, too late, there is not enough of it and it was given too late to be useful The government have finally decided to put some money into research but it's too little, too late.

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a day late and a dollar short

not enough to be useful The government's attempts at reform were a day late and a dollar short.

See also: and, day, dollar, short

better late than never

it is good this happened now although it should have happened sooner I guess it's better late than never, but getting the award after he died strikes me as less than satisfactory.

See also: better, never

late in the day

delayed almost too long Isn't it rather late in the day to say you're sorry?

See also: day

of late (slightly formal)

recently She hasn't been feeling well of late.

too little, too late

not enough and not given soon enough to be useful Financial help for food pantries and soup kitchens may be too little, too late.