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last full measure. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
last full measure, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
last full measure in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
last full measure you have here. The definition of the word
last full measure will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
last full measure, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Noun
last full measure (plural last full measures)
- (idiomatic) A person's life, when lost through death in service to a nation or cause, particularly as a member of a military force in war or a semi-militarized organization such as a police force or civil defense corps, e.g. fire departments. May also be applied to some dangerous government and civil occupations such as espionage.
Usage notes
- Not normally applied to death in service to a nation or cause outside of a military or semi-military context; for example the deaths by starvation of scientists defending the Pavlovsk Experimental Station gene bank in Leningrad during World War II, refusing to consume irreplaceable scientific samples even to save themselves, are not usually characterized this way, despite those deaths being regarded sentimentally and as noble acts.
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Further reading