Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ to suggest that something happens after a long period of time, usually later than you wanted or expected it to happen.
The food ~ arrived at the end of last week and distribution began...
Finally, after ten hours of negotiations, the gunman gave himself up.
= at last
ADV: ADV before v, ADV with cl
2.
You use ~ to indicate that something is last in a series of actions or events.
The action slips from comedy to melodrama and ~ to tragedy.
= lastly
ADV: ADV with cl/group
3.
You use ~ in speech or writing to introduce a final point, question, or topic.
And ~, a word about the winner and runner-up.
= in conclusion
ADV: ADV with cl