last word
70
4.8
- noun
- /læst wɜrd/
- Informal
:
última palabra
- You don't sit there anxiously wondering whether the last word was really the right one.
And Jim, in Wisconsin, please, your last words, well, not your last words, your words today.
- And Jim, in Wisconsin, please, your last words, well, not your last words, your words today.
- Last episode, solo episode, Excuse me, We talked about what the last words would be.
- And yeah, just any last words with things that you have going on where people can find you or just general thoughts?
- So any last words that you want to share before we start to wrap up about anything?
- But they don't like not getting the last word and you're ghosting.
- Dave, have you got any last words to say to Jenny?
- So, so again, the book let love have the last word.
- And then third, really important, you got to get in the last word.
- I was so used to being the creative authority on set and at least have the last word.
- Literally his last word was N all right N it is.
Examples
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I get to say the last word, not you.
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Yet Tocqueville may not be the last word on this long-elusive subject.
Academic text (1996) -
So this brings up the question, is this the last word on the issue?
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I always like to have the last word in these matters.
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Do l always have to have the last word?
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If you challenge her, she will have the last word.
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And I'll let Rob have the last word before we we end.
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And that's my last word on the matter.
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My last word!
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In the heated debate, she finally delivered her last word, leaving no room for further discussion.
Synonyms
81
4.4
A final decision by someone with the power to decide
1
5.3
A phrase that shows a decision is final and cannot be discussed
How Final
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'an authoritative or final statement' is directly compositional from 'last' (coming at the end) + 'word' (a statement), so the overall meaning of a final or concluding remark is predictable. This construction is common cross-linguistically (e.g. Spanish 'la última palabra') and would be accessible to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
The idiom last word comes from the clear image of someone speaking the final sentence in an argument: the last word ends the exchange. So if someone must have the last word, they want the final remark or to 'win' the argument.