jinal 'fainl [adj only before noun] last in a series of actions, events, or parts of a story: the final chapter of the book I Could I mention just one final point? /inal days/years/moments Klinsmann scored the winning goal in the final moments of the game, final stage (=the last part of a process or activity) The final stages of the climb were particularly tiring.
E when something is the last thing you want to mention
/inaily /Чат<?М: \adv\ use this when something is the last thing you want to say, especially at the end of a long speech or prece of writing: Finally, I'd like to thank all those people who helped make the conference such a success.
lastly /'laistlil'laest-/ [adu] use this to say that something is the last of a list of things, or when something is the last thing you want to say: Firstly it's too big, secondly we can't afford it, and lastly we don't really need it. I Lastly, I want to ask all of you to keep this information secret.
last but not least /ia:st bat тл
LANGUAGE 418
different language is spoken: classes for
students whose mother tongue is net
English
native speaker neitiv spi:k;v [n С] а native speaker of a language is someone who was born in the country where that language is spoken: The book is aimed at learners of English, rather than native speakers.
1i:st|.l2est-; use this when you are mentioning the last person or thing in a list, to emphasize that they are just as important as all the others: Last but not least, let me introduce Jane, our new accountant
BI most recent
last /la:st||Iaest [determiner/adj oniy before noun) most recent: We discussed this problem at the last meeting. last aigHt/week/year/Monday etc (=the one that has just past) Did you watch the game on TV last night? I We still haven't paid last month's rent. I Paul arrived back in England last Saturday, (the) last time (=the most recent occasion) Last time I spoke to Bob he seemed
happy and cheerful. I Do you remember the last time we came here? the last 10 minutes/20 years (=the period up to now) Things have changed a lot in the last ten years.
sb's last job/address/girl/riend etc (-the one they had just before this one) Our last apartment was much smaller than this one.
last (adu usually before verb) most recently: When I last saw her, she was going out with an Italian student called Giovanni.
past /pa:st|paest/ [adj only before noun] use this about the period of time up until now
the post year/few day si24 hours etc
During the past year there have been eleven accidents on this stretch of road.
previous /'priiviss/ lady only before noun] the previous time, event, or thing is the one before the one you have just mentioned: Everyone knew what to do because we had planned all the arrangements the previous day.
sb's previous job/address/visit etc (=the
one they had or did before the one you have just mentioned) She said she had left her previous job because she tuas unhappy.
the day/week/year before to (day,
etc) brfar/ the day, week, or year in the past before the one you have just mentioned: Last week he u>as in Paris and the week before he was in Rome.
When you seelaS , go to the ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION section
LATE/NOT LATE
^ look here for...
arriving or happening late
late at night
^ see also early
I! arriving iate
late /leit [ad/advj arriving after the time that was arranged or after the time when you should arrive: Cathy got there even later than I did.
+ /or She often arrives late for work. be late Sorry /'m late - my car broke
down.
5 minutes/2 days/3 weeks late As usual.
the bus was half an hour late.
too late By the time the doctor arrived,
it was too late ~ the woman was already
dead.
late arrival/departure We apologize for the late arrival of Flight AZ709.
riot on time /not on taimj later than the time that was arranged: Hurry up, or you won't get to school on time! I The train is never on time.
miss /mis [l> T] to arrive too late to see an event, film etc, or too late to get on a plane, train etc: You'd better hurry or you'll miss the start of the show miss the flight/train/bus/ferry I missed the bus and had to wait half an hour for the next one.
Ea what you say when someone arrives late
QwHere Have you been? /.wea'hav
ju: bi:n||- bin/ spoken say this when someone arrives iate and you want to know why, because you are worried or annoyed: Where have you been? You said three
o'clock!
Qwhat kept you? wot kept ju:/ spoken say this when someone arrives late and you are annoyed: It's nearly five already! What kept you?
419
LATE/NOT LATE
Qabout time too <3,baot ,taim tu: spoken informal sav this when someone or something arrives late, and you are annoyed because you have been waiting a long time: "Look, the bus is coming "And about time too!"
to make someone arrive late
make sb late /,meik (sb) 'lea/ to make someone arrive somewhere later than they should arrive
+ /or I don't want to make you late for work. I The car broke down again, which mode her late for her meeting.
be delayed /bi: drleid if you are
delayed by something, something unexpected happens and it makes you late + by Our plane was delayed by fog. get delayed There was an accident on the freeway and we got delayed.
hold up ,h3old 4p [phrasal verb T] to make someone stop or go more slowly when they are going somewhere hold sb up I won't hold you up - I can see you're in a hurry. be/get held up by sth On her way to the hospital she got held up by heavy traffic,
when something happens later than it should or later than usual
(ate leit/ [adv/adj] when something happens later than usual or someone does something later than they should: The library stays open late on Fridays. be late The harvest was late this year because of the bad weather 15 minutes/3 days/6 months late Tony handed in his homework a day late. I Hurry up! VJe're already half an hour late.