on one's last legs
 (ad.)垂死
 Last a.
 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.
 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 lāste behind, following behind, fr. lāst 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.
 Leg n.
 1. A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.
 2. That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.
 3. The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.
 4. A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.]
    He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received.   --Fuller.
 5. A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang, Eng.]
 6. Naut. The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.
 7. Steam Boiler An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg.
 8. Grain Elevator The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.
 9. Cricket A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter.
 10. Math. Either side of a triangle distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola.
 11.  Telephony A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line.
 12.  Elec. A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system.
 A good leg Naut., a course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course.
 Leg bail, escape from custody by flight. [Slang]
 Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) Geom., the branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely.
 Legs of a triangle, the sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypotenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle. On one's legs, standing to speak.
 On one's last legs. See under Last.
 To have legs Naut., to have speed.
 To stand on one's own legs, to support one's self; to be independent.