last
The (one) immediately before the present.
Adjective
- Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind.
- Will try to fix it by myself for now: as a last resort, we can always take it to a grease monkey.
- Eyes Wide Shut was the last film to be directed by Stanley Kubrick.
- Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped...
- Most recent, latest, last so far.
- The last time I saw him, he was married.
- I have received your note dated the 17th last, and am responding to say that[…]
- She told him the last news about little Georgy, and how he was gone to spend that very day with his sisters in the country. - 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and...
- Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely, or least preferable.
- He is the last person to be accused of theft.
- The last person I want to meet is Helen.
- More rain is the last thing we need right now.
- Being the only one remaining of its class.
- Japan is the last empire.
- Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.
- Contending for principles of the last importance. - 1802, Robert Hall, Reflections on War:
- Lowest in rank or degree.
- Three contestants will win awards, but the last prize is just a book voucher.
- In one word then, unless I could unfold the mystery, I will not wish you to consider me but as the last and lowest of mankind. - 1797 May 8 (first performance), Richard Cumberland, “The Last of the Family. A Comedy.”,...
- The whole community from the patrician master to the last beggar knew that in the five months when the generous bosom of the steppe throbbed with creative life, they must toil for the subsistence of all […] - 1899,...
Origin
From Middle English laste, latst, syncopated variant of latest, both ultimately from Old English latost. Doublet of latest.
Synonyms
rear, rearmost, caboose, dernier, final, terminal, ultimate, lattermost; latest most recent
Derived
at last at long last at the last at the last minute at the last moment be born last week belay my last born at night but not last night breathe one's last breathe one's last breath close one's eyes for the last time come down in the last shower court of last resort darning last dead last die in the last ditch draw one's last breath drug of last resort every last fall at the last hurdle famous last words Fermat's last theorem first and last forelast
Adverb
- Most recently.
- When we last met, he was based in Toronto.
- How long is't now since last yourself and I / Were in a mask? - c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […]...
- after everything else; finally
- As I arrived last of all, I'll go last to add the butter last.
- last but not least
- Pleased with his idol, he commends, admires, / Adores; and, last, the thing adored desires. - 1717, William Congreve, Samuel Croxall, John Dryden, Laurence Eusden, John Ozell, “Book X”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in...
Synonyms
Determiner
- The (one) immediately before the present.
- We went there last year.
- I was last to go; you're next.
- Closest in the past, or closest but one if the closest was very recent; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) ago, or the most recent instance before seven days (one week) ago.
- It's Wednesday, and the party was last Tuesday; that is, not yesterday, but eight days ago.
- When you say last Monday, do you mean the Monday just gone, or the one before that?
- Where my brother had stood last night, I now stood.
Noun obsolete
- A burden; load; a cargo; freight.
- A measure of weight or quantity, varying in designation depending on the goods concerned.
- Now we so quietly followed our businesse, that in three moneths wee made three or foure Last of Tarre, Pitch, and Sope ashes [...]. - 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 114:
- The last of wool is twelve sacks. - 1866, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, volume 1, page 169:
- An old English (and Dutch) measure of the carrying capacity of a ship, equal to two tons.
- 1942 (1601), T D Mutch, The First Discovery of Australia, page 14, The tonnage of the Duyfken of Harmensz's fleet is given as 25 and 30 lasten.
- A load of some commodity with reference to its weight and commercial value.
Origin
From Middle English last, from Old English hlæst (“burden, load, freight”), from Proto-Germanic *hlastuz (“burden, load, freight”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂- (“to put, lay out”). Cognate with West Frisian lêst, Dutch last, German Last, Swedish last, Icelandic lest.
Forms
Derived
Noun Entry 5
- A tool in the form of a foot on which an item of footwear (such as a boot or shoe) is placed for shaping while it is being manufactured or repaired.
- I muſt to the learned to learne of them, that's as much to ſay, as the Taylor muſt meddle vvith his Laſte, the Shoomaker vvith his needle, the Painter vvith his nets, and the Fiſher vvith his Penſill, I muſt to the...
- Here's gallants of all ſizes, of all laſts, / Here you may fit your foote, make choyſe of thoſe / VVhome your affection may reioyce in. - 1604 (first performance), [Thomas Middleton], Michaelmas Terme. […], London: […]...
- Shoomaker, you goe alittle beyond your laſt. - 1605, [Thomas Heywood], If You Know Not Me, You Know No Bodie: Or, The Troubles of Queene Elizabeth, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot] for Nathaniel Butter, →OCLC, signature C2,...
Origin
The noun is derived from Middle English lest, leste (“shoemaker’s model shaped like a foot, last”), from Old English lǣste (“shoemaker‘s last”), from Proto-Germanic *laistiz, from *laisǭ (“track, trail”), from Proto-Indo-European *leys-eh₂-, from *leys- (“to trace; to track”). Doublet of learn and lore. The verb is derived from the noun. cognates * Dutch leest * German Leisten * Proto-Germanic *laistaz (“footprint”) * Swedish läst
Forms
Derived
Verb Entry 6
- To endure, continue over time.
- Summer seems to last longer each year.
- They seem happy now, but that won't last long.
- They say this blizzard might last (for) days.
- To hold out, continue undefeated or entire.
- I don't know how much longer we can last without reinforcements.
- To purposefully refrain from orgasm
- To perform, carry out.
Origin
From Middle English lasten, from Old English lǣstan, from Proto-West Germanic *laistijan, from Proto-Germanic *laistijaną. Cognate with German leisten (“yield”).
Forms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Derived
Verb Entry 7
- To shape (an item of footwear such as a boot or shoe) during its manufacture or repair while it is placed on a last (noun etymology 3, noun sense 1).
- to last a boot
- I now begin to last the boot, shoe, or clog with a wax thread, in the same way as boot or shoemakers brace the toe-part of a boot or shoe down to the inner sole, but no nails or tacks must be used, […] - 1819 November...
- Sport cycling shoes are lasted on semi-curved or semi-straight lasts much like walking and hiking shoes. - 2010, Paul Langer, “Cycling”, in Matthew B. Werd, E. Leslie Knight, editors, Athletic Footwear and Orthoses in...