“last” – English explanatory dictionary

adj 1. which comes at the end of a list, line or period of time ○ The post office is the last building on the right. ○ The invoice must be paid by the last day of the month. □ at last, at long last in the end, after a long time □ she’s the last person I would want to take to a chic restaurant I would never go to a chic restaurant with her □ last thing at night at the very end of the day ○ We always have a drink of hot milk last thing at night. □ last but not least the last in a list, but by no means the least important ○ Last but not least, mother topped the cake with chocolate icing. 2. most recent ○ She’s been ill for the last ten days. ○ The last three books I read were rubbish. □ last but one the one before the last one ○ My last car but one was a Rolls Royce. 3. □ last night the evening and night of yesterday ○ We had dinner together last night. □ last Tuesday the Tuesday before today ○ I saw her last Tuesday. ○ Have you still got last Tuesday’s newspaper? □ last week the week before this one ○ The fair was in town last week – you’ve missed it! □ last month the month before this one ○ Last month it rained almost every day. □ last year the year before this one ○ Where did you go on holiday last year? ■ noun 1. the thing or person coming at the end ○ She was the last to arrive. □ that’s the last of the apples we have finished the apples 2. final words ○ That’s not the last they’ve heard from me. 3. □ before last the one before the most recent □ the Tuesday before last two Tuesdays ago □ the week before last two weeks ago □ the year before last two years ago ○ He changed his car the year before last. ■ adv 1. at the end ○ She came last in the competition. ○ Out of a queue of twenty people, I was served last. 2. most recently ○ When did you see her last? ○ She was looking ill when I saw her last or when I last saw her. ■ verb to continue for some time ○ The fine weather won’t last. ○ Our holidays never seem to last very long. ○ The storm lasted all night. ○ The meeting lasted for three hours. Synonym carry on

3d pers. sing. pres. of Last, to endure, contracted from lasteth. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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.

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.

v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Lasting.] [OE. lasten, As. laestan to perform, execute, follow, last, continue, fr. last, lst, trace, footstep, course; akin to G. leisten to perform, Goth. laistjan to follow. See Last mold of the foot.]
1. To continue in time; to endure; to remain in existence. “[I] proffered me to be slave in all that she me would ordain while my life lasted.” Testament of Love.
2. To endure use, or continue in existence, without impairment or exhaustion; as this cloth lasts better than that; the fuel will last through the winter.