'To breathe one's last' definitions:

Definition of 'To breathe one's last'

From: GCIDE
  • Last \Last\ (l[.a]st), 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[=a]ste behind, following behind, fr. l[=a]st 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]

Definition of 'To breathe one's last'

From: GCIDE
  • Breathe \Breathe\, v. t.
  • 1. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire. [1913 Webster]
  • To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into. [1913 Webster]
  • Able to breathe life into a stone. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. --Gen. ii. 7. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow. [1913 Webster]
  • He softly breathed thy name. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, A mother's curse, on her revolting son. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To express; to manifest; to give forth. [1913 Webster]
  • Others articles breathe the same severe spirit. --Milner. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. "They breathe the flute." --Prior. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. To promote free respiration in; to exercise. [1913 Webster]
  • And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse. [1913 Webster]
  • A moment breathed his panting steed. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. To put out of breath; to exhaust. [1913 Webster]
  • Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up. --Dickens. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. (Phonetics) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants. [1913 Webster]
  • The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered. --H. Sweet. [1913 Webster]
  • Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged
  • Note: [in whispering]. --H. Sweet. [1913 Webster]
  • To breathe again, to take breath; to feel a sense of relief, as from danger, responsibility, or press of business.
  • To breathe one's last, to die; to expire.
  • To breathe a vein, to open a vein; to let blood. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]