DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 of late
 最近,近來

 Late, adv.
 1. After the usual or proper time, or the time appointed; after delay; as, he arrived late; -- opposed to early.
 2. Not long ago; lately.
 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.
 ◄ ►

 Of prep.  In a general sense, from, or out from; proceeding from; belonging to; relating to; concerning; -- used in a variety of applications; as:
 1. Denoting that from which anything proceeds; indicating origin, source, descent, and the like; as, he is of a race of kings; he is of noble blood.
    That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.   --Luke i. 35.
    I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you.   --1 Cor. xi. 23.
 2. Denoting possession or ownership, or the relation of subject to attribute; as, the apartment of the consul: the power of the king; a man of courage; the gate of heaven. “Poor of spirit.”
    --Macaulay.
 3. Denoting the material of which anything is composed, or that which it contains; as, a throne of gold; a sword of steel; a wreath of mist; a cup of water.
 4. Denoting part of an aggregate or whole; belonging to a number or quantity mentioned; out of; from amongst; as, of this little he had some to spare; some of the mines were unproductive; most of the company.
    It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.   --Lam. iii. 22.
    It is a duty to communicate of those blessings we have received.   --Franklin.
 5. Denoting that by which a person or thing is actuated or impelled; also, the source of a purpose or action; due to; as, they went of their own will; no body can move of itself; he did it of necessity.
    For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts.   --Josh. xi. 20.
 6. Denoting reference to a thing; about; concerning; relating to; as, to boast of one's achievements; they talked of many things.
    Knew you of this fair work?   --Shak.
 7. Denoting nearness or distance, either in space or time; from; as, within a league of the town; within an hour of the appointed time.
 8. Denoting identity or equivalence; -- used with a name or appellation, and equivalent to the relation of apposition; as, the continent of America; the city of Rome; the Island of Cuba.
 9. Denoting the agent, or person by whom, or thing by which, anything is, or is done; by.
    And told to her of [by] some.   --Chaucer.
    He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.   --Luke iv. 15.
    [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.   --Luke iv. 1, 2.
 Note: ☞ The use of the word in this sense, as applied to persons, is nearly obsolete.
 10. Denoting relation to place or time; belonging to, or connected with; as, men of Athens; the people of the Middle Ages; in the days of Herod.
 11. Denoting passage from one state to another; from. [Obs.] “O miserable of happy.”
 12. During; in the course of.
    Not be seen to wink of all the day.   --Shak.
    My custom always of the afternoon.   --Shak.
 Note: ☞ Of may be used in a subjective or an objective sense. “The love of God” may mean, our love for God, or God's love for us.
 Note: ☞ From is the primary sense of this preposition; a sense retained in off, the same word differently written for distinction.  But this radical sense disappears in most of its application; as, a man of genius; a man of rare endowments; a fossil of a red color, or of an hexagonal figure; he lost all hope of relief; an affair of the cabinet; he is a man of decayed fortune; what is the price of corn?  In these and similar phrases, of denotes property or possession, or a relation of some sort involving connection.  These applications, however all proceeded from the same primary sense.  That which proceeds from, or is produced by, a person or thing, either has had, or still has, a close connection with the same; and hence the word was applied to cases of mere connection, not involving at all the idea of separation.
 Of consequence, of importance, value, or influence.
 Of late, recently; in time not long past.
 Of old, formerly; in time long past.
 Of one's self, by one's self; without help or prompting; spontaneously.
 Why, knows not Montague, that of itself
 England is safe, if true within itself?   --Shak.
 ◄ ►

 of late
      adv : in the recent past; "he was in Paris recently"; "lately the
            rules have been enforced"; "as late as yesterday she
            was fine"; "feeling better of late"; "the spelling was
            first affected, but latterly the meaning also" [syn: recently,
             late, lately, latterly]