Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

last

[last, lahst]

Example Sentences Origin

Glendale College of Law www.glendalelaw.edu More affordable than UWLA Save thousands on your JD at GUCL

Last Definition Dictionary.com Find Definitions For Any Word.Get Your Free Dictionary.com Toolbar.

Ads

adjective a superl. of late with later as compar.

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

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

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

final: in his last hours.

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

EXPAND

lowest in prestige or importance: last prize.

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

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

utmost; extreme: the last degree of delight.

10.

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

COLLAPSE

adverb

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.

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Last is always a great word to know.

So is interrobang. Does it mean:

a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

noun

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.

Idioms

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.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English last, latst, syncopated variant of latest, Old English latest, lætest, superlative of læt, late

Synonyms
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.

Example Sentences

The sidewalk, the last redoubt of pedestrian safety, has been breached.

The state climatologist reckons that it could last for the rest of the decade.

In regions facing scarcity because of overpumped aquifers, better management and efficiency will stretch the last drops.

EXPAND

The sidewalk, the last redoubt of pedestrian safety, has been breached.

The state climatologist reckons that it could last for the rest of the decade.

In regions facing scarcity because of overpumped aquifers, better management and efficiency will stretch the last drops.

Your last paragraph though really made me rethink things.

In a moment of silence to honor two men who died since the group last met a year ago, two goblets are turned upside down.

Scientists don't know why some moments seem to last longer than others.

The current heat wave comes after record or near-record temperatures last month in many parts of the country.

Kennedy was the last president to wear the traditional stovetop hat to his inauguration.

Here at last is proof that open-source design can indeed kill the iPhone.

Archaeologists got a chance to excavate there last summer as part of a plan to create a memorial to the slaves.

He utterly forgot about the last remaining harvester ant.

Suddenly, the cat-about twice the size of an ordinary tabby-rises, elegantly arches its back and glares at me one last time.

As many economic signs have pointed to a slowing recovery, donors continued to hold tight to their wallets last year, increasing.

The species may have been the last common ancestor of humans and all great.

Oil will last for many thousands of years and doesn't hurt anything".

Riboud crept close, snapping away in the soft, dying light of the late afternoon with the last of his film.

Veronica, who was broodless last week, is following directions and has been.

In a lawsuit filed last week, a journalism student was also named as a plaintiff.

Your last post is directed at the concept of our technology being stolen.

Clusters of red fruits last a long time among the dark green leaves of this.

McGrew is not bitter-you don't last long as a campus architect if you take it personally every time you don't get your own way.

We had come at last to the long-sought overwintering place of the eastern population of the monarch butterfly.

Filipino fisherman got more than they bargained for last week when they pulled up their nets: an extremely rare, humongous fish.

The last few days have produced news of some important job shifts at university presses.

Scientists say damage to wildlife could last years.

But the industry ended up with a glut of beef and over the last few weeks more companies have offered their meat for sale.

The presence of the dark blob was first detected last year.

The announcement last week that the first human clone had been born was met with skepticism, concern and outrage.

Last week featured two stories about science: one, a disturbing.

COLLAPSE

Dictionary.com Unabridged

verb (used without object)

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

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

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

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

verb (used with object)

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

Origin:
before 900; Middle English lasten, Old English lǣstan to follow (literally, go in the tracks of), perform, continue, last; cognate with German laisten to follow, Gothic laistjan. See last³

Synonyms
1. See continue.

noun

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

the shape or form of a shoe.

verb (used with object)

to shape on or fit to a last.

Idiom

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

Origin:
before 900; Middle English lest(e), last(e), Old English lǣste; cognate with German Leisten; akin to Old English lāst, Gothic laists track

Related forms

last·er, noun

noun

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).

Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English hlæst; cognate with Dutch last, German Last load; akin to lade

adjective

occurring, coming, or being after the usual or proper time: late frosts; a late spring.

continued until after the usual time or hour; protracted: a late business meeting.

near or at the end of day or well into the night: a late hour.

belonging to the time just before the present moment; most recent: a late news bulletin.

immediately preceding the present one; former: the late attorney general.

EXPAND

recently deceased: the late Mr. Phipps.

occurring at an advanced stage in life: a late marriage.

belonging to an advanced period or stage in the history or development of something: the late phase of feudalism.

COLLAPSE

adverb

after the usual or proper time, or after delay: to arrive late.

10.

until after the usual time or hour; until an advanced hour, especially of the night: to work late.

11.

at or to an advanced time, period, or stage: The flowers keep their blossoms late in warm climates.

12.

recently but no longer: a man late of Chicago, now living in Philadelphia.

Idiom

13.

of late, lately; recently: The days have been getting warmer of late.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English læt slow, late; cognate with German lass slothful, Old Norse latr, Gothic lats slow, lazy, Latin lassus tired

Related forms

late·ness, noun

o·ver·late, adjective

o·ver·late·ness, noun

Can be confused: former, later, latter.

Synonyms
1. tardy; slow, dilatory; delayed, belated. 4. See modern.

Link To last

Collins

World English Dictionary

last¹ (lɑːst)

—*adj*
1.	being, happening, or coming at the end or after all others: the last horse in the race
2.	being or occurring just before the present; most recent: last Thursday
3.	last but not least coming last in order but nevertheless important
4.	last but one next to last
5.	only remaining: one's last cigarette
6.	most extreme; utmost
7.	least suitable, appropriate, or likely: he was the last person I would have chosen
8.	esp relating to the end of a person's life or of the world
	a. final or ultimate: last rites
	b. (capital): the Last Judgment
9.	dialect (Liverpool) (postpositive) inferior, unpleasant, or contemptible: this ale is last

—*adv*
10.	after all others; at or in the end: he came last
11.	a. most recently: he was last seen in the mountains
	b. (in combination): last-mentioned
12.	(sentence modifier) as the last or latest item

—n
13.	the last
	a. a person or thing that is last
	b. the final moment; end
14.	one's last moments before death
15.	the last thing a person can do (esp in the phrase breathe one's last)
16.	the final appearance, mention, or occurrence: we've seen the last of him
17.	at last in the end; finally
18.	at long last finally, after difficulty, delay, or irritation

usage Since last can mean either after all others or most recent, it is better to avoid using this word where ambiguity might arise as in her last novel. Final or latest should be used in such contexts to avoid ambiguity

last² (lɑːst)

—vb (when intr, often foll by for) (when intr, often foll by for)
1.	to remain in being (for a length of time); continue: his hatred lasted for several years
2.	to be sufficient for the needs of (a person) for (a length of time): it will last us until Friday
3.	to remain fresh, uninjured, or unaltered (for a certain time or duration): he lasted for three hours underground

[Old English lǣstan; related to Gothic laistjan to follow]

'laster²

—n

last³ (lɑːst)

—n
1.	the wooden or metal form on which a shoe or boot is fashioned or repaired

—vb
2.	(tr) to fit (a shoe or boot) on a last

[Old English lǣste, from lāst footprint; related to Old Norse leistr foot, Gothic laists]

'laster³

—n

last⁴ (lɑːst)

—n
	a unit of weight or capacity having various values in different places and for different commodities. Commonly used values are 2 tons, 2000 pounds, 80 bushels, or 640 gallons

[Old English hlæst load; related to hladan to lade¹]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

last

"following all the others," from O.E. latost (adj.) and lætest (adv.), superl. of læt (adj.) and late (adv.). Cognate with O.Fris. lest, Du. laatst, O.H.G. laggost, Ger. letzt). Adj. Last-ditch "on the last line of defense" is from 1715, attributed to William of Orange. Last hurrah is from

EXPAND

the title of Edwin O'Connor's 1956 novel. Last word "final, definitive statement" is from 1881. Related: Lasting; lastly.

last

"endure," from O.E. læstan "to continue, endure," earlier "accomplish, carry out," lit. "to follow a track," from P.Gmc. *laistijanan (cf. Goth. laistjan "to follow," O.Fris. lasta "to fulfill, to pay (duties)," Ger. leisten "to perform, achieve, afford"). Related to

last (n.), not to last (adj.).

last

"shoemaker's block," from O.E. læste, from last "track, footprint, trace," from P.Gmc. *laistaz (cf. O.N. leistr "the foot," O.H.G. leist "track, footprint," Goth. laistjan "to follow," O.E. læran "to teach").

COLLAPSE

late

O.E. læt "occurring after the customary or expected time," originally "slow, sluggish," from P.Gmc. *latas (cf. O.N. latr "sluggish, lazy," M.Du., O.S. lat, Ger. laß "idle, weary," Goth. lats "weary, sluggish, lazy," latjan "to hinder"), from PIE base *lad- "slow, weary" (cf. L. lassus "faint,

EXPAND

weary, languid, exhausted," Gk. ledein "to be weary"). The sense of "deceased" (as in the late Mrs. Smith) is from late 15c., from an adv. sense of "recently." Of women's menstrual periods, attested colloquially from 1962. Related: Lately; lateness.

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

last

In addition to the idioms beginning with last, also see at last; at the last minute; breathe one's last; each and every (last one); famous last words; first and last; head for (the last roundup); in the final (last) analysis; on one's last legs; see the last of; stick to one's last; to the last.