What is "to breathe one's last"

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.

   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.

   Fairest of stars, last in the train of night.
   --Milton.

2. Next before the present; as, I saw him last week.

3. Supreme; highest in degree; utmost.

   Contending for principles of the last importance.
   --R. Hall.

4. Lowest in rank or degree; as, the a last place finish.
   --Pope.

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.

   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.

   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.

Breathe \Breathe\, v. t.

1. To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire.

   To view the light of heaven, and breathe the vital air.
   --Dryden.

2. To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into.

   Able to breathe life into a stone.
   --Shak.

   And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
   --Gen. ii. 7.

3. To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow.

   He softly breathed thy name.
   --Dryden.

   Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, A mother's curse, on her revolting son.
   --Shak.

4. To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes.

5. To express; to manifest; to give forth.

   Others articles breathe the same severe spirit.
   --Milner.

6. To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing. ``They breathe the flute.''
   --Prior.

7. To promote free respiration in; to exercise.

   And every man should beat thee. I think thou wast created for men to breathe themselves upon thee.
   --Shak.

8. To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse.

   A moment breathed his panting steed.
   --Sir W. Scott.

9. To put out of breath; to exhaust.

   Mr. Tulkinghorn arrives in his turret room, a little breathed by the journey up.
   --Dickens.

10. (Phonetics) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants.

    The same sound may be pronounces either breathed, voiced, or whispered.
    --H. Sweet.

    Breathed elements, being already voiceless, remain unchanged

    Note: [in whispering].
    --H. Sweet.

    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.