first and last

Idioms  

1. Under all circumstances, always, as in She was an artist first and last. (For a synonym, see above all.) This expression, first recorded in 1589, should not be confused with the similar-sounding from first to last, which means “from start to finish” or “throughout,” as in We cheered them on from first to last.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

first and last

Bread is the first and last defense against sogginess, which is why sturdy loaves — focaccia, baguettes, bâtards, Italian bread — shine in beach-sandwich applications.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

"I had a surge of patriotism and wanted to change my documents and get a Tajik first and last name, without the '-ov' ending," Alisher Rustamov, a Tajik who works in Russia, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

The buzz: Yasin Ayari scored the first and last of Sweden’s goals in the 5-1 win over Tunisia last week.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil proved to be the first and last for Bosnia's so-called golden generation, as play-off heartbreak struck again for Euro 2016, 2020 and 2024.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Master Nkrumah, the author of the journal, had written it with beautiful penmanship, notably making the first and last letters of the word slightly larger.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray