A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

late on in life • later on in life
late on in life —during the last part of one’s life or career: He
started out as a proofreader late on in life, having grown tired
of the motorway driving and office politics of his sales job.
later on in life —at a later stage of one’s life or career: In
addition to literature, Gulistan was attracted to motion pic-
tures. Later on in life he used this talent as a documentary
producer.
latency period • latent period
latency period —(Psycholog y) the period between the ages of
4 or 5 and about 
1
2 years, which separates pregenital sexuality
from the beginning of puberty: I remember a very definite
change when I reached what in modern child psychology is
called the “latency period.”
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase latency time—(Computers) the delay before a transfer of
data begins following an instruction for its transfer: The access
time consists of the latency time plus the transfer time. The
latency represents the amount of time it takes to find the cho-
sen address.
latent period —(med.) the period during which a disease
lurks in the system before manifesting its presence: Rubeola
is unequivocally contagious. A latent period of from ten to
fourteen days intervenes between exposure and the develop-
ment of the febrile symptoms.
laundry list • shopping list
laundry list—said of a large number of usually unpleasant
things: General Motors is charged by its critics with primary
responsibility for a laundry list of social ills, including air pol-
lution.
shopping list—said of a long list of items to be considered,
acted upon, etc.: Ground-to-air missiles were on the “shop-
ping list” of defense equipment taken to Moscow.