Etymology, English, Last

Etymology

From Middle English laste, latst, syncopated variant of latest, from Old English latost, equivalent to late +‎ -est.

Verb. From Middle English lasten, from Old English lǣstan, from Proto-Germanic *laistijaną, From *laistaz +‎ *-janą. Cognate with German leisten (“yield”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: läst, IPA^(key): /lɑːst/
• (General American) enPR: lăst, IPA^(key): /læst/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /last/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ɫast/

Adjective

last (not comparable)

1. Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind.

   “Eyes Wide Shut” was the last film to be directed by Stanley Kubrick.

2. 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 […]

   .   (archaic usage)

3. 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.

4. Being the only one remaining of its class.

   Japan is the last empire.

5. Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.
6. Lowest in rank or degree.

   the last prize

Determiner

last

1. The (one) immediately before the present.

   We went there last year.

   I was last to arrive.

2. (of days of the week or months of the year) 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.

   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?

Usage notes

• (both senses): This cannot be used in past or future tense to refer to a time immediately before the subject matter. For example, one does not say I was very tired yesterday, due to not having slept well last night: last night in that sentence refers to the night before the speaker is speaking, not the night before the “yesterday” to which he refers. He would need to say I was very tired yesterday, due to not having slept well the night before or the like.

Adverb

last (not comparable)

1. Most recently.

   When we last met, he was based in Toronto.

2. (sequence) after everything else; finally

   I’ll go last as I have to add the butter last.

   last but not least

Verb

last (third-person singular simple present lasts, present participle lasting, simple past and past participle lasted)

1. (transitive, obsolete) To perform, carry out.
2. (intransitive) To endure, continue over time.

   Summer seems to last longer each year.

   They seem happy now, but that won’t last long.

3. (intransitive) To hold out, continue undefeated or entire.

   I don’t know how much longer we can last without reinforcements.