last pound of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last pound of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are referring to the final unit of weight, often in a metaphorical sense to indicate the last bit of effort or resource. Example: "He gave it his all, leaving no stone unturned, and he was willing to spend the last pound of his energy to finish the race."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Those financial constraints, which led meatpackers to harvest every last pound of meat, also caused consolidation in the industry.

The New York Times

He also promised to pay off £11 billion of the central bank's loan immediately, and the rest within three years.Purely on its own merits, the bargain is a poor one for taxpayers, for their risk is barely diminished: as all bankers know, it is not the first but the last pound of a loan that is hard to get back.

The Economist

He says it also applies some of the conflict-resolution techniques described in a 1981 business book, "Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In," by Roger Fisher and William Ury. "This runs counter to the prevalent deal model of getting the last pound of flesh," said Mr. Shapiro, who has been mentioned as a possible future baseball commissioner.

The New York Times

Now every last pound of Chuao cacao goes to Amedei.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

But soccer squeezes every last pound and euro of value from these racked bodies and minds.

The New York Times - Sports

The market reaches equilibrium when the cost of producing the last pound is exactly equal to its value.

The New York Times

The Overture, written last, pounds away with a high-drama case of nerves.

The New York Times - Arts

Mr. Samascott is down to his last 100 pounds of nuts, which should be for sale Saturday morning at the 82nd Street, St .Stephen's Greenmarket in Manhattan (between First and York Avenues) and Sunday morning at the Columbia Greenmarket (Broadway, between 114th and 116th Streets).

The New York Times

"I wouldn't say go cheap but they can be clever at making a pound of mince last several meals.

The Guardian

All the news of the troubled years, from the death of her eldest son in the war to the latest item of family gossip, from the bombings of towns to the latest method of making a pound of sugar last a year, were being called to mind, so that everything would surely be ready for Maja.

The New Yorker

She is down to her last 15.2 million pounds of savings, and next year that figure is expected to drop to 8 million.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "last pound of" to emphasize the exhaustive nature of an effort or resource, particularly when describing a final, critical expenditure. For example: "He put in the last pound of effort to win the race."

Common error

Avoid using "last pound of" literally when referring to weight measurements. It's generally used metaphorically to describe the final increment of effort, resources, or something similar, not an actual pound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last pound of" functions as a noun phrase, often used adjectivally to modify another noun (e.g., "effort", "energy"). It describes the final, often most critical, increment of something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

12%

Science

13%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "last pound of" is a grammatically sound phrase used to emphasize the final, exhaustive expenditure of effort or resources. Ludwig AI indicates its correct usage in written English. While relatively rare, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts. Remember to use it metaphorically to describe the culmination of an action rather than a literal weight measurement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

final ounce of

Focuses on a smaller unit of weight, implying a similar sense of exhausting all resources.

last bit of

More general, referring to the final portion of something, not necessarily weight.

ultimate measure of

Emphasizes the highest or most extreme degree of something.

last vestige of

Highlights the very last remaining trace of something that is disappearing.

final increment of

Emphasizes a gradual increase of something.

last shred of

Indicates the smallest possible amount remaining.

final iota of

Implies an extremely small quantity.

very last drop

Focuses on liquid resources being completely used.

last fragment of

Implies that only a broken or incomplete piece of something remains.

the absolute limit of

Emphasizes reaching the highest possible extent or boundary.

FAQs

How can I use "last pound of" in a sentence?

You can use "last pound of" to emphasize the exhaustive nature of an effort or resource. For example, "She spent the last pound of her energy completing the project."

What can I say instead of "last pound of"?

You can use alternatives like "final ounce of", "last bit of", or "last vestige of" depending on the context.

Is "last pound of" an idiom?

While not a formal idiom, "last pound of" is often used figuratively to describe expending the maximum amount of effort or resources, similar to idioms like "the last straw" or "the final nail in the coffin".

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "last pound of"?

It's appropriate to use "last pound of" when you want to highlight the completeness of an action or the exhaustion of resources. Ensure the context is metaphorical, referring to effort, energy, or similar abstract concepts.