🦵 On Its Last Legs: Expressions Born from Exhaustion 🛌
Description
When you’re “on your last legs,” it feels like the universe’s final push towards a cozy bed or a metaphorical coasting to an end. This phrase paints a vivid picture of stumbling to the finish line in the fifteenth lap of life’s merry race—or your workday marathon.
Historical Context
First making an appearance in the play The Old Law (1599) by Thomas Middleton and Philip Massinger, this phrase captured the imagination right from “Go!” By the time John Ray’s Proverbs came around in 1678, “on its last legs” had grown from referring to human fatigue to encompass the descent towards bankruptcy, quest failure, or an ancient sofa falling to pieces.
Humorous Quotes
- “I’m on my last legs… or rather, I’m delighted they’re my own; else, I’d have fallen down ages ago!” - Anonymous Marathoner
- “By the time I’m ‘on my last legs,’ I’m really ‘on my last Netflix episode.’” - Quarantine Quoter Extraordinaire
Synonyms
- Threadbare
- Hanging by a thread
- Running on fumes
- Nearing the end
- Playing the swan song
Antonyms
- Fresh as a daisy
- Fit as a fiddle
- Full of beans
- Raring to go
- Bursting with energy
Related Terms and Their Origins
- Hitting the wall: Dissociated from marathon running, it means to suddenly lose energy.
- Out of steam: Think about an old steam locomotive when it finally puffs its last. Whoo whooo. Pssst.
- Bone-tired: So tired it feels like your bones are worn out.
Literary References
- Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is replete with weariness. Can Jean Valjean rebuild life “on his last legs”?
- The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens pulls “Nell on her last legs” until one can hear the final sob.
Films and Songs
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) epitomizes man conquering last-leg fatigue.
- “One Step at a Time” by Jordin Sparks for motivational grooving as you shuffle forward.
Inspirational Insight
“Strength doesn’t come from how strong you begin; it springs from discovering how far your legs carry you as you chase every last stride.”
Farewell Note: “Every ending whispers a new beginning, and until our legs finally give out, let’s dive into the depth of clichés—old and new alike. Embrace each step until you’re on the last leg of your present adventure, only to embark on the next.”
Written with wobbling legs, E. L. Mightywordsmith
2023-10-02
