2006-07-07 10:57:07 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Interesting... I have found little information on this, other than a brief reference from Random House below. Since "late" also refers to something at the end, or "lately" as in "recently," the term "late" in the sense of the deceased became more frequently used as a short way of saying "recently deceased." This causes some confusion, because there is a question of how long someone can be dead and still be referred to as "late;" how recent is "recently?"
2006-07-07 11:05:19 · answer #1 · answered by theyuks 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Derived from the use of "late" as an adverb: not long since (but not now); recently (but no longer)
That is to say - they were recently, but are no longer, alive.
2006-07-07 18:04:04 · answer #2 · answered by buxinator 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Synonymous with 'former'.
2006-07-07 18:05:38 · answer #3 · answered by cdf-rom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋