I . *last
/ lɑːst; NAmE læst/ determiner , adverb , noun , verb
—see also last (II)
■ determiner
1.
happening or coming after all other similar things or people :
We caught the last bus home.
It's the last house on the left.
She was last to arrive.
2.
[ only before noun ] most recent :
last night / Tuesday / month / summer / year
her last book
This last point is crucial.
The last time I saw him was in May.
3.
[ only before noun ] only remaining
SYN final :
This is our last bottle of water.
He knew this was his last hope of winning.
4.
used to emphasize that sb/sth is the least likely or suitable :
The last thing she needed was more work.
He's the last person I'd trust with a secret.
•
IDIOMS
- be on your / its last legs
- the day, week, month, etc. before last
- every last ...
- have the last laugh
- in the last resort
- your / the last gasp
- the last minute / moment
- a / your last resort
- the last word (in sth)
—more at analysis , breath , famous , long adjective , man noun , straw , thing , week , word noun
■ adverb
1.
after anyone or anything else; at the end :
He came last in the race.
They arrived last of all.
2.
most recently :
When did you see him last?
I saw him last / I last saw him in New York two years ago.
They last won the cup in 2002.
•
IDIOMS
- last but not least
- last in, first out
—more at first adverb , laugh verb
■ noun the last ( pl. the last )
1.
the person or thing that comes or happens after all other similar people or things :
Sorry I'm late—am I the last?
They were the last to arrive.
2.
last of sth the only remaining part or items of sth :
These are the last of our apples.
•
IDIOMS
- at (long) last
- hear / see the last of sb/sth
- the last I heard
- next / second to last
- to / till the last
—more at breathe , first noun
■ verb
1.
linking verb [ v ] (not used in the progressive tenses) to continue for a particular period of time :
The meeting only lasted (for) a few minutes.
Each game lasts about an hour.
How long does the play last?
2.
to continue to exist or to function well :
[ v ]
This weather won't last.
He's making a big effort now, and I hope it lasts.
[ vn ]
These shoes should last you till next year.
3.
last (sth) (out) to survive sth or manage to stay in the same situation, despite difficulties :
[ v ]
She won't last long in that job.
Can you last (out) until I can get help?
[ vn ]
Doctors say that she probably won't last out the night (= she will probably die before the morning) .
He was injured early on and didn't last the match.
4.
last (sb) (out) to be enough for sb to use, especially for a particular period of time :
[ v ]
Will the coffee last out till next week?
[ vn ]
We've got enough food to last us (for) three days.
••
WHICH WORD
last / take
Last and take are both used to talk about the length of time that something continues.
Last is used to talk about the length of time that an event continues:
How long do you think this storm will last?
•
The movie lasted over two hours.
Last does not always need an expression of time:
His annoyance won't last.
Last is also used to say that you have enough of something:
We don't have enough money to last until next month.
Take is used to talk about the amount of time you need in order to go somewhere or do something. It must be used with an expression of time:
It takes (me) at least an hour to get home from work.
•
How long will the flight take?
•
The water took ages to boil.
II . last
/ lɑːst; NAmE læst/ noun
a block of wood or metal shaped like a foot, used in making and repairing shoes
—see also last (I)
••
WORD ORIGIN
I . determiner and adverb noun Old English latost (adverb) after all others in a series , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch laatst , lest and German letzt , also to late . verb Old English lǣstan , of Germanic origin, related to German leisten afford, yield, also to last (II)
II . Old English lǣste , of Germanic origin, from a base meaning follow; related to Dutch leest and German Leisten .