last heir

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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