Forms: 1 lǽstan, léstan, 2–4 lasten, lesten, 3 læsten, leasten, Orm. lasstenn, 4–5 laste, -in, leste, -yn, lesst, 5–6 Sc. lest, 4– last; also YLAST. pa. t. 1 lǽste, 2 lastede, 3 læste, leaste, 4–5 last(e, leste, 4 lasted(e, -et, -id(e, lested(e, 4, 6 lastit, 5– lasted. pres. pple. 4 lastand(e, -onde. pa. pple. 4 last, 5 Sc. lestyd. See also YLAST. [OE. lǽstan wk. vb., corresponds to OFris. lâsta, lêsta to fulfil, to pay (duties), OS. lêstian to execute, OHG. (MHG., mod.G.) leisten to afford, yield, Goth. laistjan to follow, f. OTeut. laisti- (-to-): see LAST sb.1]
† 1. trans. a. In OE. only: To follow (a leader; with dative), to follow, pursue (a course, a practice; with accusative). b. To accomplish, carry out, execute (a command), perform (a promise); to pay (tribute), to abide by, maintain (peace). Obs.
Beowulf (Gr.), 2663. Leofa biowulf læst eall tela.
837. Charter of Badanoð, in O. E. Texts, 450. Ic biddo … ðæt se monn se hiʓon londes unnen to brucanne ða ilcan wisan leste on swæsendum to minre tide.
971. Blickl. Hom., 185. Gif þu wilt his wordum hyran & his bebodu læstan, þu forleosest þin rice.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., i. 27 (Sedgefield). Þeah wæs maʓorinca mod mid Crecum, ʓif hi leodfruman læstan dorsten.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 189. He him seluen com and lestede his bihese.
c. 1205. Lay., 9848. Þu mine fader swore to lasten alche ȝere … gauel in to Rome.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2906. Ðat ic ðe haue hoten wel, Ic it sal lesten euerilc del.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 65. To leste Of chaste professioun Hys solempne by-heste.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 383. [Philip] wolde by-hote more þan he wolde laste.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 2218. Hym oghte … heete naght a deel By word ne bond, but if he wole it laste.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxvii. 204. This pees for to holde and last.
2. intr. Of a state of things, a process, period of time: To continue, endure, go on.
a. 900. Cynewulf, Crist, 1288. Þonne him daʓas læstun.
1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1137 (Laud MS.). And ðet lastede þa xix wintre wile Stephne was King.
c. 1200. Ormin, 2228. And tatt himm shollde hiss kinedom A lasstenn butenn ende.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 20. Siggeð non efter mete … þe hwule þet sumer lested.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2952. Ðis wreche, in al egypte riȝt, Lestede fulle seuene niȝt.
13[?]. Sir Beues, 2789 (MS. A). So be-twene hem leste þat fiȝt, Til it was þe þerke niȝt.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 87. It is likened to a schadewe þat may not longe leste.
a. 1500. Flower & Leaf, 288. The justes last an houre and more.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., XXI. 96. This seige lastit langer nor the seigeris thairof luikit ffor.
1580. Sidney, Ps. IX. iii. Their renown, which seem’d so like to last, Thou dost put out.
1611. Bible, Judg. xiv. 17. Shee wept before him the seuen dayes, while the feast lasted.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 405. For length of Ages lasts his happy Reign.
1781. Cowper, Hope, 746. These shall last when night has quenched the pole.
1806. Med. Jrnl., XV. 507. The pain returned about eleven, and lasted till one.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xviii. IV. 190. While the civil war lasted, his vassals could not tend their herds … in peace.
1895. Law Times, XCIX. 499/2. Even if fine weather lasts, days are considerably shorter at this time of year.
† b. With complement or prepositional phrase: To continue in a specified condition, course of action, etc.; to remain or dwell in (at, etc.) a place. Also, to last long that … not, to be a long time before doing so-and-so. Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 4147. And ðoȝ him [Moyses] lestede hise siȝte briȝt.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 2479 (Trin.). Abraham last & his þan Bisyde þe lond of canaan.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XX. 272. In liff quhill he lestit ay, With all our fais dred war we.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 71. Graunte þi seruauntes grace to laste trewe in þe gospel. Ibid. (1382), Acts xii. 16. Forsoth Petre lastide knockynge.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 791, Cleopatra. And longe hym thoughte that the sunne laste That it nere gon vndyr the se a doun.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 38. If þei last in þer synne,… þer blessing is turnid in to cursing.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 412. On athir side full fast on him thai dange; Gret perell was giff thai had lestyt lang.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. v. 51. Amangis the fludis for to leyf and lest.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 693. Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last Endless, and no solution will be found.
3. To hold out, continue fresh, unbroken, undecayed, unexhausted. Also (now rarely) of persons: To continue in life.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 12764. Ferli þam thoght hu he moght last, Wit sun gret trauail and fast.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 195. While thilke mirrour last, Ther was no lond, which [etc.].
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), ii. 5. Þai trowed þat he schuld hafe bene hingand apon þat crosse als lang as þat crosse myght last.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 989. Aires for nane alyens quils Alexander lastis.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, E v. While that frute may last his time is neuer past.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 207. At last, if promise last, I got a promise of this faire one heere To haue her loue. Ibid. (1602), Ham., V. i. 183. A Tanner will last you nine year.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 65. 304. To annoint their rolles … with a liquour … which kept them from rotting, and made them last the longer.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 239. Those … Bricks … will last to Eternity.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, XXIV. 779. The rock for ever lasts, the tears for ever flow.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, vi. § 6. 168. I would have, then, our ordinary dwelling-houses built to last.
1874. Helps, Soc. Press., ii. 17. The cows do not last a third part of the time that they would last in the country.
1884. Spectator, 4 Oct., 1286/1. He was able by rationing the townsmen as well as his troops to make this supply last to the present time.
b. With indirect obj.: To suffice for a person’s (or animal’s) requirements for a specified time.
1530. Palsgr., 604/1. This gowne hath lasted him longe.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 263. A stock of Hard Eggs … which will last them from Spahaun to the Port.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. iv. (1840), 71. They should have a proportion of corn given them to last them eight months.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. vi. 56. Our two bears lasted the cormorants but eight days.
1893. Earl Dunmore, Pamirs, II. 112. As much corn … as will last us a month.
c. quasi-trans. (a) To continue in vigor as long as or longer than (something else). Now only with out. † (b) To sustain, hold out under or against.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 811. Bot al to few thei war, and mycht nocht lest This gret Rout that cummyth one so fast.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. i. 139. This will last out a night in Russia When nights are longest there.
a. 1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., III. ii. I pray, my legges Will last that pace that I will carrie them.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., v. 27. Old Families last not three Oakes.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 290. He who lasts out his competitors in the game without missing, shall be our King.
1878. Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. civ. 23. If labour lasts out the average daylight it is certainly all that any man ought to expect of another.
† 4. To extend in space; to reach, stretch. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 5819. Ne leaste hit [a ditch] na wiht ane mile.
13[?]. K. Alis., 2596. Of his people theo grete pray Laste twenty myle way.
c. 1315. Shoreham 3. Thy laddre nys nauȝt of wode That may to hevene leste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 266. Ther … deynteuous vitaille … may be founde as fer as last ytaille.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 108. Þe firste boon … lastiþ to þe seem þat departiþ þe heed quarter.
c. 1450. Merlin, 274. More than a myle lasted the route.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XVII. iv. He hunted in a woode of his whiche lasted vnto the see.
1493. Festivall (W. de W., 1515), 53 b. Than he was ware of a pyller of fyre that lasted from erth to heuen.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Chron., 29. A broad high waye that lasted two leagues and halfe.
