| English Dictionary |
LAST
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does last mean?
• LAST (noun)
The noun LAST has 8 senses:
1. the temporal end; the concluding time
2. the last or lowest in an ordering or series
3. a person's dying act; the final thing a person can do
4. the time at which life ends; continuing until dead
5. a unit of weight equal to 4,000 pounds
6. a unit of capacity for grain equal to 80 bushels
7. the final stage or concluding parts of an event or occurrence
8. holding device shaped like a human foot that is used to fashion or repair shoes
Familiarity information: LAST used as a noun is common.
• LAST (adjective)
The adjective LAST has 9 senses:
1. immediately past
2. coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining
3. occurring at or forming an end or termination
4. most unlikely or unsuitable
5. occurring at the time of death
6. conclusive in a process or progression
7. highest in extent or degree
8. not to be altered or undone
9. lowest in rank or importance
Familiarity information: LAST used as an adjective is familiar.
• LAST (verb)
The verb LAST has 2 senses:
1. persist for a specified period of time
2. continue to live and avoid dying
Familiarity information: LAST used as a verb is rare.
• LAST (adverb)
The adverb LAST has 2 senses:
1. most recently
2. the item at the end
Familiarity information: LAST used as an adverb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
The temporal end; the concluding time
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Synonyms:
close; conclusion; finale; finis; finish; last; stopping point
Context example:
they were playing better at the close of the season
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
end; ending (the point in time at which something ends)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The last or lowest in an ordering or series
Classified under:
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
Context example:
he finished an inglorious last
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
rank (relative status)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A person's dying act; the final thing a person can do
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Context example:
he breathed his last
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
activity (any specific behavior)
Sense 4
Meaning:
The time at which life ends; continuing until dead
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Synonyms:
death; last
Context example:
a struggle to the last
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
end; ending (the point in time at which something ends)
Sense 5
Meaning:
A unit of weight equal to 4,000 pounds
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
weight; weight unit (a unit used to measure weight)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A unit of capacity for grain equal to 80 bushels
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
capacity measure; capacity unit; cubage unit; cubature unit; cubic content unit; cubic measure; displacement unit; volume unit (a unit of measurement of volume or capacity)
Domain region:
Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)
Sense 7
Meaning:
The final stage or concluding parts of an event or occurrence
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
end; last
Context example:
I had to miss the last of the movie
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
conclusion; ending; finish (event whose occurrence ends something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "last"):
end game; endgame (the final stages of a chess game after most of the pieces have been removed from the board)
end game; endgame (the final stages of an extended process of negotiation)
homestretch (the end of an enterprise)
passing (the end of something)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Holding device shaped like a human foot that is used to fashion or repair shoes
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
cobbler's last; last; shoemaker's last
Hypernyms ("last" is a kind of...):
holding device (a device for holding something)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Immediately past
Context example:
the last chapter we read
Similar:
past (earlier than the present time; no longer current)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining
Context example:
down to his last nickel
Similar:
fourth-year; senior (used of the fourth and final year in United States high school or college)
sunset (providing for termination)
ultimate (being the last or concluding element of a series)
Antonym:
first (preceding all others in time or space or degree)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Occurring at or forming an end or termination
Synonyms:
concluding; final; last; terminal
Context example:
terminal leave
Similar:
closing (final or ending)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Most unlikely or unsuitable
Context example:
the last man they would have chosen for the job
Similar:
unlikely (has little chance of being the case or coming about)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Occurring at the time of death
Context example:
the last rites
Similar:
dying (in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be)
Sense 6
Meaning:
Conclusive in a process or progression
Synonyms:
Context example:
the net result
Similar:
ultimate (furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Highest in extent or degree
Synonyms:
last; utmost
Context example:
whether they were accomplices in the last degree or a lesser one was...to be determined individually
Similar:
high (greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Not to be altered or undone
Synonyms:
final; last
Context example:
the arbiter will have the last say
Similar:
inalterable; unalterable (not capable of being changed or altered)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Lowest in rank or importance
Synonyms:
last; last-place; lowest
Context example:
in last place
Similar:
worst ((superlative of 'bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition)
| Conjugation: |
... he / she / it lasts Past simple: lasted
Past participle: lasted
-ing form: lasting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Persist for a specified period of time
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
endure; last
Context example:
The bad weather lasted for three days
Hypernyms (to "last" is one way to...):
measure (have certain dimensions)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "last"):
run; run for (extend or continue for a certain period of time)
endure; hold out; wear (last and be usable)
drag on; drag out (last unnecessarily long)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Sense 2
Meaning:
Continue to live and avoid dying
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
endure; go; hold out; hold up; last; live; live on; survive
Context example:
One crash victim died, the other lived
"Last" entails doing...:
be; live (have life, be alive)
Verb group:
be; live (have life, be alive)
exist; live; subsist; survive (support oneself)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "last"):
hold up; hold water; stand up (resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.)
perennate (survive from season to season, of plants)
live out (live out one's life; live to the end)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
The business is going to last
Sense 1
Meaning:
Most recently
Context example:
I saw him last in London
Sense 2
Meaning:
The item at the end
Synonyms:
finally; in conclusion; last; lastly
Context example:
last, I'll discuss family values
Pertainym:
last (coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining)
Context examples
That was the word the man uttered, and of which his son only caught the last two syllables.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"It ain't no picnic, I can tell you that," were the Klondiker's last words, as he turned and went slowly up the trail.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
At last, as midnight approached and the street gradually cleared, he paced up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The very last of all, I saw.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
We have not got our name up yet, for we only secured these temporary premises last week.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"I had that door painted only last week," Mr. Higginbotham half whined, half bullied; "and you know what union wages are. You should be more careful."
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
At last the day came for going home.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
But sights and sounds and smells were different from those he had last had when he fled away from it.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
For the last time he rushed.
(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)
There! She promised I should go next time, for this is the last ice we shall have.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"From work if it does not flow, it will certainly drip." (Albanian proverb)
"Tomorrow is close if you wait it." (Arabic proverb)
"The best helmsmen stand on shore" (Dutch proverb)