from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Last \Last\ (l[.a]st), 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.
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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.
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Fairest of stars, last in the train of night.
--Milton.
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2. Next before the present; as, I saw him last week.
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3. Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.
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Contending for principles of the last importance.
--R. Hall.
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4. Lowest in rank or degree; as, the a last place finish.
--Pope.
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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.
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{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 l[=a]ste behind, following
behind, fr. l[=a]st 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 lack 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.
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And blunder on in business to the last. --Pope.
Syn: {At Last}, {At Length}.
Usage: 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.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Leg \Leg\ (l[e^]g), n. [Icel. leggr; akin to Dan. l[ae]g calf of
the leg, Sw. l[aum]gg.]
1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the
body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that
part of the limb between the knee and foot.
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2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any
long and slender support on which any object rests; as,
the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or
dividers.
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3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg;
as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.
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4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from
drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.]
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He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for
a favor he never received. --Fuller.
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5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang,
Eng.]
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6. (Naut.) The course and distance made by a vessel on one
tack or between tacks.
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7. (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the
form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes
nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to
support the boiler; -- called also {water leg}.
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8. (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the
belt which carries the buckets.
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9. (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a
little in rear of the batter.
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10. (Math.) Either side of a triangle distinguished from the
base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also,
an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a
hyperbola.
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11. (Telephony) A branch or lateral circuit connecting an
instrument with the main line.
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12. (Elec.) A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase
system.
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{A good leg} (Naut.), a course sailed on a tack which is near
the desired course.
{Leg bail}, escape from custody by flight. [Slang]
{Legs of an hyperbola} (or other curve) (Geom.), the branches
of the curve which extend outward indefinitely.
{Legs of a triangle}, the sides of a triangle; -- a name
seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished
by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs
of a right-angled triangle.
{On one's legs}, standing to speak.
{On one's last legs}. See under {Last}.
{To have legs} (Naut.), to have speed.
{To stand on one's own legs}, to support one's self; to be
independent.
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