last
1- 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.
- 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.
- Ecclesiastical. (of the sacraments of penance, viaticum, or extreme unction) extreme or final; administered to a person dying or in danger of dying.
- after all others; latest: He arrived last at the party.
- on the most recent occasion: When last seen, the suspect was wearing a checked suit.
- in the end; finally; in conclusion.
- a person or thing that is last.
- a final appearance or mention: We've seen the last of her. That's the last we'll hear of it.
- the end or conclusion: We are going on vacation the last of September.
- at last, after a lengthy pause or delay: He was lost in thought for several minutes, but at last he spoke.
- at long last, after much troublesome or frustrating delay: The ship docked at long last.
- breathe one's last, to die: He was nearly 90 when he breathed his last.
Origin of last
1Synonyms for last
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comlast
2- 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.
- to continue to survive for the duration of (often followed by out): They lasted the war in Switzerland.
Origin of last
2Synonym study
last
3- 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.
- to shape on or fit to a last.
- stick to one's last, to keep to that work, field, etc., in which one is competent or skilled.
Origin of last
3last
4- 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 of last
4late
- 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.
- 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.
- after the usual or proper time, or after delay: to arrive late.
- until after the usual time or hour; until an advanced hour, especially of the night: to work late.
- at or to an advanced time, period, or stage: The flowers keep their blossoms late in warm climates.
- recently but no longer: a man late of Chicago, now living in Philadelphia.
- of late, lately; recently: The days have been getting warmer of late.
Origin of late
Synonyms for late
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for last
finish, uttermost, curtains, antipodal, end, crowning, far, lag, determinative, least, ending, terminal, ultimate, concluding, utmost, closing, latest, extreme, finishing, completionExamples from the Web for last
Contemporary Examples of last
In the last year, her fusion exercise class has attracted a cult following and become de rigueur among the celebrity set.
As of Thursday night, the brothers remained on the loose, last seen in northern France.
A Charlie Hebdo reporter said that security provision had been relaxed in the last month or so and the police car disappeared.
What criticisms of last season did you find helpful, and not so helpful?
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISISMarlow Stern
January 8, 2015
Drugeon survived an airstrike last year and is believed to be still at large, officials have said.
Historical Examples of last
I have sought for thee throughout the world, and at last I believed thee dead.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
I heard about it from Mrs. Balldridge when we came here last fall.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
"I've just finished," said Percival, glancing down the last sheet.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Here we see but a few of the last links, and those imperfectly.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
They were the last she heard sung by Paralus, the night Anaxagoras departed from Athens.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
last
1- being, happening, or coming at the end or after all othersthe last horse in the race
- being or occurring just before the present; most recentlast Thursday
- last but not least coming last in order but nevertheless important
- last but one next to last
- only remainingone's last cigarette
- most extreme; utmost
- least suitable, appropriate, or likelyhe was the last person I would have chosen
- (esp relating to the end of a person's life or of the world)
- final or ultimatelast rites
- (capital)the Last Judgment
- (postpositive) Liverpool dialect inferior, unpleasant, or contemptiblethis ale is last
- after all others; at or in the endhe came last
- most recentlyhe was last seen in the mountains
- (in combination)last-mentioned
- (sentence modifier) as the last or latest item
- the last
- a person or thing that is last
- the final moment; end
- one's last moments before death
- the last thing a person can do (esp in the phrase breathe one's last)
- the final appearance, mention, or occurrencewe've seen the last of him
- at last in the end; finally
- at long last finally, after difficulty, delay, or irritation
Word Origin for last
usage
last
2- (when intr, often foll by for) to remain in being (for a length of time); continuehis hatred lasted for several years
- to be sufficient for the needs of (a person) for (a length of time)it will last us until Friday
- (when intr, often foll by for) to remain fresh, uninjured, or unaltered (for a certain time or duration)he lasted for three hours underground
Word Origin for last
last
3- the wooden or metal form on which a shoe or boot is fashioned or repaired
- (tr) to fit (a shoe or boot) on a last
Word Origin for last
last
4- 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
Word Origin for last
late
- occurring or arriving after the correct or expected timethe train was late
- (prenominal) occurring, scheduled for, or being at a relatively advanced timea late marriage
- (prenominal) towards or near the endthe late evening
- at an advanced time in the evening or at nightit was late
- (prenominal) occurring or being just previous to the present timehis late remarks on industry
- (prenominal) having died, esp recentlymy late grandfather
- (prenominal) just preceding the present or existing person or thing; formerthe late manager of this firm
- of late recently; lately
- after the correct or expected timehe arrived late
- at a relatively advanced ageshe married late
- recently; latelyas late as yesterday he was selling books
- late hours rising and going to bed later than is usual
- late in the day
- at a late or advanced stage
- too late
Word Origin for late
usage
Word Origin and History for last
"following all others," from Old English latost (adj.) and lætest (adv.), superlative of læt (see late). Cognate with Old Frisian lest, Dutch laatst, Old High German laggost, German letzt. Meaning "most recent" is from c.1200. The noun, "last person or thing," is c.1200, from the adjective. Last hurrah is from the title of Edwin O'Connor's 1956 novel. Last word "final, definitive statement" is from 1650s. A dying person's last words so called by 1740. As an adjective, last-minute attested from 1913. Last-chance (adj.) is from 1962.
"endure, go on existing," from Old English læstan "to continue, endure," earlier "accomplish, carry out," literally "to follow a track," from Proto-Germanic *laistjan "to follow a track" (cf. Gothic laistjan "to follow," Old Frisian lasta "to fulfill, to pay (duties)," German leisten "to perform, achieve, afford"), from PIE *leis- "track, furrow."
Related to last (n.), not to last (adj.). Related: Lasted; lasting.
"shoemaker's block," from Old English læste, from last "track, footprint, trace," from Proto-Germanic *laist- (cf. Old Norse leistr "the foot," Middle Dutch, Dutch leest "form, model, last," Old High German leist "track, footprint," German Leisten "last," Gothic laistjan "to follow," Old English læran "to teach"); see last (v.).
late
Old English læt "occurring after the customary or expected time," originally "slow, sluggish," from Proto-Germanic *lata- (cf. Old Norse latr "sluggish, lazy," Middle Dutch, Old Saxon lat, German laß "idle, weary," Gothic lats "weary, sluggish, lazy," latjan "to hinder"), from PIE *led- "slow, weary" (cf. Latin lassus "faint, weary, languid, exhausted," Greek ledein "to be weary"), from root *le- "to let go, slacken" (see let (v.)).
The sense of "deceased" (as in the late Mrs. Smith) is from late 15c., from an adverbial sense of "recently." Of women's menstrual periods, attested colloquially from 1962. Related: Lateness. As an adverb, from Old English late.
Idioms and Phrases with last
last
In addition to the idioms beginning with last
- last analysis
- last but not least
- last fling
- last gasp
- last laugh, have the
- last resort
- last straw, the
- last word, the
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
late
In addition to the idioms beginning with late
- late in life
- late in the day
also see:
- at the latest
- better late than never
- Johnny-come-lately
- keep late hours
- of late
- the latest
- too little, too late
Also see underlater.