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Gradual vs Late - What's the difference?

gradual | late | Related terms |

Gradual is a related term of late.


As nouns the difference between gradual and late

is that gradual is (roman catholic church) an antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps while late is (kind of) hatchet, axe, chopper.

As an adjective gradual

is proceeding by steps or small degrees; advancing step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow.

gradual

English

Alternative forms

* graduall (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Proceeding by steps or small degrees; advancing step by step, as in ascent or descent or from one state to another; regularly progressive; slow.
    • a gradual''' increase of knowledge; a '''gradual decline
  • * Milton
    • Creatures animate with gradual life / Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.

    Synonyms

    * (l)

    Antonyms

    * sudden * abrupt

    Derived terms

    * gradually

    See also

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Roman Catholic Church) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
  • (Roman Catholic Church) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.

    • late

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Near the end of a period of time.
  • Specifically, near the end of the day.
  • (usually, not used comparatively) Associated with the end of a period.
  • Not arriving until after an expected time.
  • Not having had an expected menstrual period.
  • (deceased)(not comparable, euphemistic) Deceased, dead:
  • * , chapter=12
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.}}
  • Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not now; departed, or gone out of office.
  • Recent — relative to the noun it modifies.
  • * 1914 , (Robert Frost), (North of Boston) , "A Hundred Collars":
    • Lancaster bore him — such a little town, / Such a great man. It doesn't see him often / Of late years, though he keeps the old homestead / And sends the children down there with their mother

    Usage notes

    * (deceased) (term) in this sense is unusual among English adjectives in that it qualifies named individuals (in phrases like (term)) without creating a contrast with another Mary who is not late. Contrast (hungry): a phrase like (term) is usually only used if another Mary is under discussion who is not hungry.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night.
  • * 2007 , Paul W Browning, The Good Guys Wear Blue
    • At about 11 pm one night in Corporation Street my watch were on van patrol and Yellow Watch were on lates as usual.

    Adverb

    (er)
  • After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.
    • We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late .
  • formerly, especially in the context of service in a military unit.
  • :Colonel Easterwood, late of the 34th Carbines, was a guest at the dinner party.

    • Derived terms

    * a day late and a dollar short * as of late * better late than never * * late bloomer * latecomer * late in the day * late in the game * lately * late night * later * sooner or later

    References

    * 2009 April 3, , "Re: Has 'late' split up into a pair of homonyms?", message-ID <bdb13686-a6e4-43cd-8445-efe353365394@l13g2000vba.googlegroups.com>, alt.usage.english'' and ''sci.lang , Usenet.

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