| 例句 |
adjective | verb lastlast1 /læst/ adjective 1 coming at the end► last coming at the very end of something: She was the last one in the competition to sing.The last movie was the best one of the three. ➔ GRAMMAR: Last can also be an adverb: I didn’t know which book in the series was written first and which one came last.► final AWL final means the same as last, but is used to emphasize that something really is the last: The professor gave his final speech before retiring at graduation.► ultimate AWL last and most important in a process or series: Our ultimate aim is to build six new schools.► closing used to talk about the last part of a period of time, event, speech, book, or movie: She was passed in the closing stages of the race.In the closing chapters of the book, the hero and heroine realize they love each other.► concluding AWL used about the words that come at the end of a speech or piece of writing and finish it: The lawyers made their concluding statements to the jury.The concluding paragraph is too short.► latter used to talk about the last of two or more things: The children learn patience, kindness, and respect - and the latter quality, respect, is most important to us.ANTONYMS ➔ see first (1)2 happening before► last relating to the most recent time before the present time: Last night we went to the movies.The last time I saw you, you were only eight years old. ➔ GRAMMAR: Don't say: It happened in last week/month/year. Say: It happened last week/month/year.► past the past week, year, few days, etc. is the period of time up until now: The past few months have been very difficult for our family. ➔ GRAMMAR: Don’t say: Past week has been tiring. Say: The past week has been tiring.➔ Don't use past when talking about something that happened in the period of time before now, but that did not continue happening until now. Don’t say: I saw him the past week. Say: I saw him last week.► previous AWL the previous time, event, or thing is the one before the one you are talking about now. Previous sounds more formal than last: The dog’s previous owner did not take good care of it.The economic problems we are having now are worse than the previous troubles we had.► preceding AWL (formal) coming before the time you have just mentioned, or coming before the part of the piece of writing that you are reading now: After you have read the last paragraph, read through the preceding paragraphs again.➔ Don't use preceding about activities or relationships. Don’t say: She had two children from her preceding marriage. Say: She had two children from her previous marriage.► former having a particular job or position in the past, but not now: The former president has written a book about his time in office.► old (informal) relating to people you knew or things you had in the past but do not know or have now, especially because they have been replaced by other people or things: My old teacher from last year was really nice.Our old TV stopped working, and we had to get a new one.ANTONYMS ➔ see next1GRAMMAR CHECK: lastAll the words meaning last must be used before a noun. Don’t say: the president that was former/previous/last etc. Say: the previous/former/last etc. president. adjective | verb lastlast2 /læst/ verb ➔ see continue |