[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

last \last\ l.ast, 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.
      1913 webster

            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.
      1913 webster

            fairest of stars, last in the train of night.
                                                  --milton.
      1913 webster

   2. next before the present; as, i saw him last week.
      1913 webster

   3. supreme; highest in degree; utmost.
      1913 webster

            contending for principles of the last importance.
                                                  --r. hall.
      1913 webster

   4. lowest in rank or degree; as, the a last place finish.
      --pope.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster

   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=aste behind, following
      behind, fr. l=ast 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.
      1913 webster

            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.
          1913 webster
see also:
late latest at last at the last last last heir 
on one's last legs to breathe one's last to the last at last at length 

At Last >> A Words
At Last, definition of term: At Last
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