adj (1)最后的(coming at the end;after all others)：the～page of a book/chair in a row/day of the year 一本书的最后一页/一排的最后一把椅子/一年的最后一天;one's～hope/chance 最后的希望/机会;He was the～person to leave. 他是最后走的。He was～in the race. 比赛中他是最后一名。〖反〗first;

(2)上一个;最新(近)的(immediately before this;most recent)[作attrib]：～night/week/month/year昨晚/上星期/上个月/去年;in/during the～few days/weeks/decades 在最近的几天/几周/几十年里;～Friday/spring 上(刚过去的)周五/去年(刚过去的)春天;the day/week/month before～前天/上上周/上上个月;the～letter I received 我最近收到的一封信;The～news I heard was that he got married. 我听到的最新消息是他结婚了。〖反〗next;

(3)最后剩下的(only one left)[尤attrib]：one's～hope of winning 获胜的最后希望;I have spent my～dollar. 我把剩下的最后一块钱花了。

(4)最不可能(合适)的(most unlikely;most unsuitable)：the～person I want to see 我最不想见的人;That's the～thing I should expect him to do. 那是我最不希望他做的事。I think she is the～person to be a teacher. 我认为她当教师最不合适。

(5)最，非常(utmost;extreme)：It's a question of～importance. 这是最重要的问题。

last but one/two 倒数第二/第三：He was～but one to finish the race. 他在赛跑中得了倒数第二。

have the last word 有最后的决定权：The manager has the～word on the project. 经理对这项工程有最后的决定权。

→′lastly adv 最后(一点);′last-′minute adj 最后一分钟的;紧急关头的;

n最后的人或物(last person or thing)[N(of)][多与the 连用，复数不变]：He was the～of the visitors to leave. 他是最后离去的一位客人。These are the～of our oranges. 这些是我们最后的橘子了。He has spent the～of his money. 他把最后的钱也花光了。

at (long)last 最后，终于：At～，man has landed on the moon. 人类终于登上了月球。

breathe one's last 死，断气：He peacefully breathed his～. 他安祥地死去。

hear/see the last of 1)最后一次听/看到：That was the～I heard/saw of him. 那是我最后一次听到他的事/看到他。2)不再与……打交道：I hope we've seen the～of her. 希望我们再也不要见到她。

to/till the last 到底，至死：The soldiers fought to the～.士兵们战斗到底。be faithful to the～始终忠于，至死不渝;

adv(1) 最后(after all others)：I am to speak～at the meeting. 会上我将最后一个发言。Our horse came～in the race. 我们的马在比赛中得了最后一名。〖反〗 first;

(2)上(最近)一次(most recently)：He saw her～/～saw her in Paris.他上一次(最近一次)见到她是在巴黎。It's a long time since I met you～. 自上次见面以来我有很长时间没见到你了。

last but not least 最后但同样重要的：And～but not lease I'd like to thank my parents. 最后但同样重要的是我要感谢我的父母。

last of all 最后：And～of all，I would like to thank Mr Smith for all his help. 最后我要感谢史密斯先生对我们的一切帮助。

【辨异】the last指最后的或所谈论的前面的一个，如：the last three pages of the book(书的最后三页);the latest的意思是最近(新)的，如：the latest news(最新消息);the latter指已谈到的两者中的后者，是较正式的说法，如：Of the two，the latter is far better than the former.(两者中后者大大优于前者。)