late afternoon=下午很晚的时候，即黄昏时候

late 副词（时间上）接近终了，临近末了(英文解释： Late means near the end of a day, week, year, or other period of time）

in the early/late +(morning/afternoon/evening)

It was late in the afternoon.那是下午近黄昏的时候。

She had to work late at night. 她不得不深夜工作

The fighting began in the late afternoon and continued all night.  

战斗在傍晚时分打响，持续了一夜。

The firing finally began to die away in the late afternoon.  

到了临近傍晚时枪炮声终于渐渐停息。

    He came home in the late afternoon. 他下午很晚才回家。（摘自《英汉多功能词典》新编升级版p.945）