idiom · informal
on one's last legs
UK/ɒn wʌnz lɑːst leɡz/US/ɑn wʌnz læst læɡz/on·one's·LAST·legs
speakingtask2
very tired or near collapse; for objects, almost worn out or broken down
Examples
“After three sleepless nights she was on her last legs.”
“The old car is on its last legs and needs replacing.”
“By the end of term, the students were on their last legs.”
Band 8 sentence
“After weeks of nonstop rehearsals the cast were on their last legs, but the show went on.”
Collocations
- be on one’s last legs after + activity
- on its last legs (for objects)
Word family
on one's last legs idiom
Common mistakes
very tired→on one's last legs
near death→on one's last legs
Say it for a higher band
5very tired→6exhausted→7+on one's last legs
Synonyms
exhausted
run-down
Easily confused
run down
“By the end of the festival, the volunteers were completely run down.”
Related words
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In Health
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