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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Late \Late\ (l[=a]t), a. [Compar. {Later} (l[=a]t"[~e]r), or
{latter} (l[a^]t"t[~e]r); superl. {Latest} (l[=a]t"[e^]st) or
{Last} (l[.a]st).] [OE. lat slow, slack, AS. l[ae]t; akin to
OS. lat, D. laat late, G. lass weary, lazy, slack, Icel.
latr, Sw. lat, Dan. lad, Goth. lats, and to E. let, v. See
{Let} to permit, and cf. {Alas}, {Lassitude}.]
1. Coming after the time when due, or after the usual or
proper time; not early; slow; tardy; long delayed; as, a
late spring.
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2. Far advanced toward the end or close; as, a late hour of
the day; a late period of life.
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3. Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not
now; recently deceased, departed, or gone out of office;
as, the late bishop of London; the late administration.
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4. Not long past; happening not long ago; recent; as, the
late rains; we have received late intelligence.
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5. Continuing or doing until an advanced hour of the night;
as, late revels; a late watcher.
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Last \Last\ (l[.a]st), 3d pers. sing. pres.
of {Last}, to endure, contracted from lasteth. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
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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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Last \Last\, n. [AS. l[=a]st trace, track, footstep; akin to D.
leest a last, G. leisten, Sw. l[aum]st, Dan. l[ae]st, Icel.
leistr the foot below the ankle, Goth. laists track, way;
from a root signifying, to go. Cf. {Last}, v. i., {Learn},
{Delirium}.]
A wooden block shaped like the human foot, on which boots and
shoes are formed.
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The cobbler is not to go beyond his last. --L'Estrange.
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{Darning last}, a smooth, hard body, often egg-shaped, put
into a stocking to preserve its shape in darning.
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Last \Last\ (l[.a]st), adv. [See {Last}, a.]
1. At a time or on an occasion which is the latest of all
those spoken of or which have occurred; the last time; as,
I saw him last in New York.
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2. In conclusion; finally; lastly.
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Pleased with his idol, he commends, admires,
Adores; and, last, the thing adored desires.
--Dryden.
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3. At a time next preceding the present time.
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How long is't now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask ? --Shak.
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Last \Last\, v. t.
To shape with a last; to fasten or fit to a last; to place
smoothly on a last; as, to last a boot.
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Last \Last\, n. [As. hl[ae]st, fr. hladan to lade; akin to OHG.
hlast, G., D., Dan., & Sw. last: cf. F. laste, last, a last,
of German or Dutch origin. See {Lade}.]
1. A load; a heavy burden; hence, a certain weight or
measure, generally estimated at 4,000 lbs., but varying
for different articles and in different countries. In
England, a last of codfish, white herrings, meal, or
ashes, is twelve barrels; a last of corn, ten quarters, or
eighty bushels, in some parts of England, twenty-one
quarters; of gunpowder, twenty-four barrels, each
containing 100 lbs; of red herrings, twenty cades, or
20,000; of hides, twelve dozen; of leather, twenty
dickers; of pitch and tar, fourteen barrels; of wool,
twelve sacks; of flax or feathers, 1,700 lbs.
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2. The burden of a ship; a cargo.
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Last \Last\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Lasted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Lasting}.] [OE. lasten, As. l[ae]stan to perform, execute,
follow, last, continue, fr. l[=a]st, l[=ae]st, trace,
footstep, course; akin to G. leisten to perform, Goth.
laistjan to follow. See {Last} mold of the foot.]
1. To continue in time; to endure; to remain in existence.
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[I] proffered me to be slave in all that she me
would ordain while my life lasted. --Testament of
Love.
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2. To endure use, or continue in existence, without
impairment or exhaustion; as, this cloth lasts better than
that; the fuel will last through the winter.
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