last

last¹

/last, lahst/, adj. a superl. of late with later as compar.

1. occurring or coming after all others, as in time, order, or place: the last line on a page.

2. most recent; next before the present; latest: last week; last Friday.

3. being the only one remaining: my last dollar; the last outpost; a last chance.

4. final: in his last hours.

5. ultimate or conclusive; definitive: the last word in the argument.

6. lowest in prestige or importance: last prize.

7. coming after all others in suitability or likelihood; least desirable: He is the last person we'd want to represent us.

8. individual; single: The lecture won't start until every last person is seated.

9. utmost; extreme: the last degree of delight.

10. Eccles. (of the sacraments of penance, viaticum, or extreme unction) extreme or final; administered to a person dying or in danger of dying.

adv.

11. after all others; latest: He arrived last at the party.

12. on the most recent occasion: When last seen, the suspect was wearing a checked suit.

13. in the end; finally; in conclusion.

n.

14. a person or thing that is last.

15. a final appearance or mention: We've seen the last of her. That's the last we'll hear of it.

16. the end or conclusion: We are going on vacation the last of September.

17. at last, after a lengthy pause or delay: He was lost in thought for several minutes, but at last he spoke.

18. at long last, after much troublesome or frustrating delay: The ship docked at long last.

19. breathe one's last, to die: He was nearly 90 when he breathed his last.

[bef. 900; ME last, latst, syncopated var. of LATEST, OE latest, laetest, superl. of laet, LATE]

Syn. 1. LAST, FINAL, ULTIMATE refer to what comes as an ending. That which is LAST comes or stands after all others in a stated series or succession; LAST may refer to objects or activities: a seat in the last row; the last game. That which is FINAL comes at the end, or serves to end or terminate, admitting of nothing further; FINAL is rarely used of objects: to make a final attempt. That which is ULTIMATE (literally, most remote) is the last that can be reached, as in progression or regression, experience, or a course of investigation: ultimate truths.

last²

/last, lahst/, v.i.

1. to go on or continue in time: The festival lasted three weeks.

2. to continue unexpended or unexhausted; be enough: We'll enjoy ourselves while our money lasts.

3. to continue in force, vigor, effectiveness, etc.: to last for the whole course.

4. to continue or remain in usable condition for a reasonable period of time: They were handsome shoes but they didn't last.

v.t.

5. to continue to survive for the duration of (often fol. by out): They lasted the war in Switzerland.

[bef. 900; ME lasten, OE laestan to follow (lit., go in the tracks of), perform, continue, last; c. G laisten to follow, Goth laistjan. See LAST³]

Syn. 1. See continue.

last³

—laster, n.

/last, lahst/, n.

1. a wooden or metal form in the shape of the human foot on which boots or shoes are shaped or repaired.

2. the shape or form of a shoe.

3. stick to one's last, to keep to that work, field, etc., in which one is competent or skilled.

v.t.

4. to shape on or fit to a last.

[bef. 900; ME lest(e), last(e), OE laeste; c. G Leisten; akin to OE last, Goth laists track]

last⁴

/last, lahst/, n.

any of various large units of weight or capacity, varying in amount in different localities and for different commodities, often equivalent to 4000 pounds (1814.37 kilograms).

[bef. 900; ME; OE hlaest; c. D last, G Last load; akin to LADE]

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(as used in expressions)

Fermat's last theorem

Last Mountain Lake

Custer's Last Stand

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