Finally The Times applied ample illustrations (7)
I believe the answer is:
exempla
'illustrations' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are plural nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'finally the times applied ample' is the wordplay.
'finally' suggests the final letters.
'times' becomes 'x' (2 times 4 is 2 x 4).
'applied' indicates anagramming the letters (apply the letters).
The last letter of 'the' is 'e'.
'ample' is an anagram of 'empla'.
'e'+'x'+'empla'='EXEMPLA'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for exempla that I've seen before include "Anecdotes" , "Stories illustrating a moral" , "Models" , "short stories?" .)