on your last legs

🌎Region: International 📊Difficulty Level:intermediate

💡Meaning

Close to failing, collapsing, or dying; almost worn out or exhausted.

🕰️Origin

From the idea of an animal or person so weak they can barely stand on their legs; later extended to machines, businesses, and systems nearing failure.

📝Notes

Used for people, animals, or things (cars, phones, businesses) that are near collapse or failure. Informal and sometimes hyperbolic; for people it can sound serious.

💬Examples

After 300,000 miles, my old car is on its last legs.
I was on my last legs by the time we reached the summit.
This laptop is on its last legs, so I’m backing up everything tonight.
The charity is on its last legs after losing two major donors.
Their relationship was on its last legs, and they both knew it.

📘Grammar & Usage Notes

Typically used with forms of BE: “I’m/it’s/we’re on our last legs.” Also common: “be running on its last legs.” Often plural with possessive (my/your/his/their).

🔗Synonyms

near the end of the road
at death's door
on its last gasp
on the verge of collapse

↔️Antonyms

going strong
in good shape
going from strength to strength