FINALLYwhen something happens after a long timeRELATED WORDSsee alsoWAITHOPEFUTURE1 when something happens after a long time 长时间后某事发生finally/eventually/in the end /ˈfaɪnəl-i, ɪˈventʃuəli, ɪn ði ˈend/ [adverb]after a long period of time, especially after a lot of difficulties or after a long delay 最后，终于 After a lot of questioning, James finally admitted he had taken the car. 经过一再盘问，詹姆斯终于承认他开走了那辆车。 In the end, I decided that the best thing to do was to ask Billy for help. 最后我拿定主意：最好是请比利帮忙。 The plane eventually arrived at 6:30 - over three hours late. 飞机最终在6：30到达，迟到了三个多小时。at last /ət ˈlɑːst ǁ -ˈlæst/ [adverb]use this when something good happens after you have waited for it for a long time 终于，最后 I'm really glad that Ken's found a job at last. 我很高兴肯终于找到了工作。 At last the rain stopped and the players came back on the field. 雨终于停了，选手们又回到了球场上。at long lastafter a very long time 很久以后 At long last he was able to see his family again. 久别之后他终于又能见到家人了。sooner or later /ˌsuːnər ɔːʳ ˈleɪtəʳ/ [adverb]if something is going to happensooner or later, it will certainly happen but you do not know exactly when 迟早，早晚 Sooner or later this would end up in the papers, and I would be out of a job. 这件事迟早会被报纸披露出来，到时候我就要失业了。 I'm sure Brian will turn up sooner or later. 我肯定布赖恩早晚会露面的。 He is worried that sooner or later his business will fail. 他担心自己的生意迟早会失败。one day /ˈwʌn deɪ/ [adverb]use this to say that something will happen at some time in the future, especially something that you hope will happen, although you do not know exactly when 总有一天，迟早有一天 They're bound to find a cure for cancer one day. 他们迟早会找到治疗癌症的方法。 I knew that we would meet again one day. 我早知道我们有一天会再相见的。 One day ordinary people will be able to travel in space. 总有一天普通人也能去太空旅行的。in time /ɪn ˈtaɪm/ [adverb]after a particular period of time, especially after a gradual process of change or development 渐渐地，隔了一段时间以后 She started as an office junior, and in time became director of the whole company. 她刚开始是办公室小职员，后来成了公司的董事。 Jarvis was a strange man, but in time I got to like him. 贾维斯是个奇怪的人，但我逐渐地喜欢上了他。end up /ˌend ˈʌp/ [intransitive phrasal verb not in progressive]if someone or somethingends up in a particular situation or condition, they eventually come to be in that situation or condition - use this especially about something bad that happens 结果，终于〔尤指发生了不好的事〕 Forbes ended up in prison for not paying his taxes. 福布斯因未付税结果进了监狱。 The sweater that my mum knitted ended up twice the size it should have been. 我妈织的那件毛衣结果比本该织的尺寸大了一倍。end up doing something We ended up having to postpone our vacation. 到后来我们只得推迟了假期。end up as Our chess game finally ended up as a draw. 我们那盘棋结果下成了和局。