3. Far in the night, day, week, or other particular period; as, to lie
abed late; to sit up late at night.
Of late, in time not long past, or near the present; lately; as, the
practice is of late uncommon. -- Too late, after the proper or
available time; when the time or opportunity is past.
Lat"ed (?), a. Belated; too late. [Obs.] Shak.
La*teen" (?), a. (Naut.) Of or pertaining to a peculiar rig used in the
Mediterranean and adjacent waters, esp. on the northern coast of
Africa. See below.
Lateen sail. [F. voile latine a sail in the shape of a right-angled
triangle; cf. It. & Sp. vela latina; properly Latin sail. See Latin.]
(Naut.) A triangular sail, extended by a long yard, which is slung at
about one fourth of its length from the lower end, to a low mast, this
end being brought down at the tack, while the other end is elevated at
an angle or about forty-five degrees; -- used in small boats, feluccas,
xebecs, etc., especially in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters. Some
lateen sails have also a boom on the lower side.
Late"ly (?), adv. Not long ago; recently; as, he has lately arrived
from Italy.
La"tence (?), n. Latency. Coleridge.
La"ten*cy (?), n. [See Latent.] The state or quality of being latent.
To simplify the discussion, I shall distinguish three degrees of
this latency.
Sir W. Hamilton.
Late"ness (?), n. The state, condition, or quality, of being late; as,
the lateness of his arrival; the lateness of the hour; the lateness of
the season.
La"tent (l"tent), a. [L. latens, -entis, p. pr. of latere to lie hid or
concealed; cf. Gr. lanqa`nein, E. lethargy: cf. F. latent.] Not visible
or apparent; hidden; concealed; secret; dormant; as, latent springs of
action.
The evils latent in the most promising contrivances are provided
for as they arise.
Burke.
Latent buds (Bot.), buds which remain undeveloped or dormant for a long
time, but may at length grow. Latent heat (Physics), that quantity of
heat which disappears or becomes concealed in a body while producing
some change in it other than rise of temperature, as fusion,
evaporation, or expansion, the quantity being constant for each
particular body and for each species of change. -- Latent period. (a)
(Med.) The regular time in which a disease is supposed to be existing
without manifesting itself. (b) (Physiol.) One of the phases in a
simple muscular contraction, in which invisible preparatory changes are
taking place in the nerve and muscle. (c) (Biol.) One of those periods
or resting stages in the development of the ovum, in which development
is arrested prior to renewed activity.
La"tent*ly, adv. In a secret or concealed manner; invisibly.
||La"ter (?), n.; pl. Lateres (#). [L.] A brick or tile. Knight.
||
Lat"er (?), a. Compar. of Late, a. & adv.
Lat"er*ad (?), adv. [L. latus, lateris, side + ad to.] (Anat.) Toward
the side; away from the mesial plane; -- opposed to mesiad.
Lat"er*al (?), a. [L. lateralis, fr. latus, lateris, side: cf. F.
latéral.] 1. Of or pertaining to the sides; as, the lateral walls of a
house; the lateral branches of a tree.
2. (Anat.) Lying at, or extending toward, the side; away from the
mesial plane; external; -- opposed to mesial.