# breathe one's last

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/breathe-ones-last
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To die.

## Examples

- The old dog breathed his last this morning.
- The king was surrounded by his family when he finally breathed his last.
- After a long and difficult struggle against his illness, the poet breathed his last in the quiet comfort of his home.

## Origin

Perhaps first used in Shakespeare's Henry VI, part 3 (c. 1591). Compare breathe (“to live”). (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.