last
- noun
- /læst/
- Archaic
- In ancient times, a last was used to weigh fish, commonly herring, to ensure fairness in trade.
Examples
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Farmers often use a last measurement to determine how much grain they can sell at the market.
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At last, we checked articles for duplication and removed duplicated ones.
Academic text (2016) -
The weaver measured out the final quantity of wool, ensuring it matched the required last for the order.
Synonyms
A fixed amount used to measure or count things
A unit for measuring dry goods like grain or fruit
A standard measure for weight like a gram or pound
Idioms
- Informal
Something a person is not thinking about or worrying about right now
- Informal
A person who thinks they are special and sometimes feels out of place
- Archaic
To keep trying until everything is finished no matter how long it takes
- Informal
To keep supporting something until the very end, no matter how long it takes
Compounds
- Literature
A final meal Jesus ate with his disciples before he was killed on a cross
- Formal
An act of saying goodbye to someone who has died, usually at their funeral
- Specialized
Half the Moon is lit when it comes after a full moon and before a new moon
- Literature
A final day when God decides each person's fate, rewarding good and punishing bad
An 1876 battle at Little Bighorn where Sioux and Cheyenne killed General Custer and his soldiers
- Specialized
An inventory method where the newest items are counted as sold first
- Specialized
A data structure like a stack where the newest item is removed first
A person who is arranged to care for children shortly before the care is needed
- Specialized
A solid foot-shaped form that people who make shoes use to shape or repair shoes
Surface Forms
Etymology
Last as a unit of weight or cargo comes from an old English word hlæst meaning 'load' or 'cargo', so a 'last' was a large load used in trade and shipping.