i*f0 3 [C, usually pi.] a rope used to fasten sth tightly to sth else

lass /lses/ (also las-sie /'laesi/) noun {ScotE, NEngE) a girl; a young woman fcM.; A A; M$£A7 — compare lad( 1), LADDIE

lassa fever /'laesa fi:va(r)/ noun [U] a serious disease, usually caught from rats and found especially in W Africa £#& (     K.^%, AEAMM )

lassi /'laesi/ noun [u] a S Asian drink made from yogurt

(iM)

las si tude /'laesitjuid; NAmE -tu:d/ noun [U] (formal) a state of feeling very tired in mind or body; lack of energy ff.t;  AfffrA

lasso /lae'su:; 'laesau; NAmE 'laesou/ noun, verb m noun (pi. -os or -oes) a long rope with one end tied into a loop that is used for catching horses, cows, etc. ( jf

m verb [VN] to catch an animal using a lasso M i& A ^ jf

( ft® )

WHICH WORD? M9Wr

last*take

Last and take are both used to talk about the length of time that something continues. * last fp take ±9 A

a Last is used to talk about the length of time that an event continues. * last AAA#f^WBtls]: How long do you think this storm will last?

o The movie lasted over two hours. A Last does not always need an expression of time. * last   WM

inilM: His annoyance won’t last.

A0 Last is also used to say that you have enough of something. * last          We

don’t have enough money to last until next month.

Take is used to talk about the amount of time you need in order to go somewhere or do something. It must be used with an expression of time. * take A

^IMA/AWWWiaJ

M: It takes (me) at least an hour to get home from work. ( He ) ASEII1AAflA o How long will the flight take? ilt&MS#

IhJ? o The water took ages to boil. ifAA/jtAA To

last1 0-w /laist; NAmE laest/ det., adv., noun, verb — see also LAST2

mdet. 1 happening or coming after all other similar things or people ft Ifj W;     MM W: We caught

the last bus home. Hef]&±T01?WASf^^$. 0 It’s the last house on the left.   o

She was last to arrive. M^ftJIjilJWo 2 [only before noun] most recent H i£ W; A — A W : last night/Tuesday/ month/summer/year   ± AMSJH / M ; PH'J&MWE

^; A A 0 her last book M ft i£ th Ji& W A 0 This last point is crucial. 0 The last time

I saw him was in May. He± ftClSJlJflfeJi#57!       3 [only

before noun] only remaining ft ffl A W ; ft W H771 final: This is our last bottle of water. j^JSHc'fnftft W -‘JfSATc o He knew this was his last hope of winning.

4 used to emphasize that sb/sth is the least likely or suitable (    ) HAM

Its W, ft Aii # W: The last thing she needed was more work. JffeftA^^WifcJilL^ WXfto 0 He’s the last person I’d trust with a secret.       , A Ufit

tk A tla A ifr o       be on your/its last 'legs to be *

going to die or stop functioning very soon; to be very weak or in bad condition Wt l[fi t:; AA—\E; fr'&sk A; A is A T the day, week, month, etc. before 'last the day, week, etc. just before the most recent one; two days, weeks, etc. ago iiijA; ±±SJ$; ±±

M ; WM ( ftMMl^ ) \>Xff: I haven’t seen him since the summer before last. HeB#WMXM'$:EMM7.o every last ... every person or thing in a group ( M A A W ) A, AWe spent every last penny we had on

the house. HHM#rMWttlP£&|ilA±T<i have the last 'laugh to be successful when you were not expected to be, making your opponents look stupid (      ) Z&MtlS, ft#ftEJmm in the last

re'sort when there are no other possible courses of action # A ft Jfj W — fS HT1 at a pinch : In the last resort we can always walk home. ® ^HeCl A 0 MWtM. 7 o your/the last gasp the point at which you/sth can no longer continue living, fighting, existing, etc.

S;       l[S^-; H?E— see also last-gasp

the ,last 'minute/'moment the latest possible time before an important event ( JrM^lfMW )

HlcMM: They changed the plans at the last minute. ^ SJltfiMfMl®ft$7 if#Jo 0 Don’t leave your decision to the last moment. #ij^fijft/g — !•]MAfE&Ao a/your last re'sort the person or thing you rely on when everything else has failed ftjfjM'ftfft WA (     ) :

7’ve tried everyone else and now you’re my last resort. ^ MAHct&irtMT, WfEUmfoTo the .last'word (in sth) the most recent, fashionable, advanced, etc. thing Sfr ( ft;HM, Aift# ) W#%: These apartments are the last word in luxury. j^^Ji-|B]ft^l^6^o —more at ANALYSIS, BREATH, FAMOUS, LONG ad)., MAN n., STRAW, THING, WEEK, WORD n.

m adv. 1 after anyone or anything else; at the end ftft; ft££;      He came last in the race.

ft /§ — A o 0 They arrived last of all ftk fH A % tt it IP 0&o 2 most recently § §f[; HM; ± — IX: When did you see him last? #ftjfifh& J&Mftfe? b I saw him last/I last saw him in New York two years ago. He A ^ ft HWAM          JALfJMWo 0 They last won the cup in

2002. 2002 Ac IM .last but

not 'least used when mentioning the last person or thing of a group, in order to say that they are not less important than the others ( Hifcft/pWAft^lWifc') ft/sjfiJ^MfS^W: Last but not least, I’d like to thank all the catering staff, ft {! |WJ # Jr ^ W Ji , He M iH 0ft'Wf        .last 'in, .first 'out used, for

example in a situation when people are losing their jobs, to say that the last people to be employed will be the first to go () ft^anwasam , JfjA#AA — more at first adv., laugh v.

m noun the last (pi. the last) 1 the person or thing that comes or happens after all other similar people or things ftlfjAWA ( ft^tAW^ ) : Sorry I’m late—am I the last? XtA®, HcAfftT,      WA^? b They

were the last to arrive. ffejnj^ftlsIlJjiWAo 2 ~ of sth the only remaining part or items of sth fX. M A W pP ft ( ft^^k ) : These are the last of our apples. j&JiHcCl ftjfjpJMWJlAMfto IT»ni at (long) 'last after much delay, effort, etc.; in the end ( ^iH^N‘10] WMftft^A ft££ BOH finally: At last we’re home! H^CI^AiiJlkT! 0 At long last the cheque arrived. AH ££ A 3\ T o <=> note at lastly hear/see the ' last of sb/sth to hear/see sb/sth for the last time ft fsIX DJf JJL ( ft#li1 ) : That was the last I ever saw of her. ip Hcft/fj^AAI'JMo 0 Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this affair, it ‘B W Ji, He iA A & # # 3 o the last I 'heard used to give the most recent news you have about sb/sth ( HlftftfrMSM tSL ) Hs # IIJ W ft ff ffi m : The last I heard he was still working at the garage. He # it] W ft ff M S JiffiiS A ft A# ifI#o next/second to ‘last (BrE also .last but 'one) the one before the last one JHJ          She

finished second to last.   IJM-to/till the 'last

until the last possible moment, especially until death lefijft# — M ;        ( XIb )  He died protesting

his innocence to the last. i E.

more at breathe, first n.

verb 1 linking verb [V] (not used in the progressive tenses AM AiftTfBt) to continue for a particular period of time         MU: The meeting only lasted (for) a

few minutes. ^-ftRJFT /lA#o b Each game lasts about an hour.        0 b How long does the

play last? $P & ft H 'M g # M iR ? 2 to continue to exist or to function well  ; j#A: [V]

This weather won’t last.  A7^ Ao b He’s

making a big effort now, and I hope it lasts. JJE# MlEjjP