Last to Lath
Last
(Last) 3d pers. sing. pres. of Last, to endure, contracted from lasteth. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Last
(Last) a. [OE. last, latst, contr. of latest, superl. of late; akin to OS. lezt, lazt, last, D. laatst,
G. letzt. See Late, and cf. Latest.]
1. Being after all the others, similarly classed or considered, in time, place, or order of succession; following
all the rest; final; hindmost; farthest; as, the last year of a century; the last man in a line of soldiers; the
last page in a book; his last chance.
Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God.
Neh. viii.
18.
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night.
Milton. 2. Next before the present; as, I saw him last week.
3. Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.
Contending for principles of the last importance.
R. Hall. 4. Lowest in rank or degree; as, the last prize. Pope.
5. Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely; having least fitness; as, he is
the last person to be accused of theft.
At last, at the end of a certain period; after delay. "The duke of Savoy felt that the time had at last
arrived." Motley. — At the last. [Prob. fr. AS. on laste behind, following behind, fr. last race, track,
footstep. See Last mold of the foot.] At the end; in the conclusion. [Obs.] "Gad, a troop shall overcome
him; but he shall overcome at the last." Gen. xlix. 19. — Last heir, the person to whom lands escheat
for want of an heir. [Eng.] Abbott. — On one's last legs, at, or near, the end of one's resources; hence,
on the verge of failure or ruin, especially in a financial sense. [Colloq.] — To breathe one's last, to
die. — To the last, to the end; till the conclusion.
And blunder on in business to the last.
Pope. Syn. — At Last, At Length. These phrases both denote that some delayed end or result has been
reached. At length implies that a long period was spent in so doing; as, after a voyage of more than
three months, we at Length arrived safe. At last commonly implies that something has occurred (as
interruptions, disappointments, etc.) which leads us to emphasize the idea of having reached the end; as,
in spite of every obstacle, we have at last arrived.
Last
(Last) adv. [See Last, a.]
1. At a time or on an occasion which is the latest of all those spoken of or which have occurred; the last
time; as, I saw him last in New York.
2. In conclusion; finally.
Pleased with his idol, he commends, admires,
Adores; and, last, the thing adored desires.
Dryden. 3. At a time next preceding the present time.
How long is't now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask ?
Shak.
