Very late (4)
I believe the answer is:
dead
This clue is a double definition.
'very' is the first definition.
(dead can mean very or absolutely, eg 'dead wrong')
'late' is the second definition.
(similar in meaning)
(Other definitions for dead that I've seen before include "Not functioning; numb" , "Deceased; numb" , "Gone to meet one's Maker" , "As was Monty Python's parrot" , "Lookalike" .)