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

The convergence of multiple people with the same first and last name has put a bizarre twist on the serious fight for a US Senate seat in the midterm elections this November.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

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

Both Ronaldo and Messi have scored their first and last World Cup goals for their country 20 years and 11 days apart, at the time of writing.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 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

But the slogan etched into the glass case confused Kyle: “Luigi Lemoncello: the first and last word in games.”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein