Forms: 2–3 lestend, -inde, 3 leastinde, 4–5 lastand, -end, -ond, 4–6 Sc. and north. lestand, 4– lasting. [f. LAST v.1 + -ING2.]
1. Continuing, enduring; also of long continuance, permanent. (In early use often contextually = ‘everlasting.’) † Always (or † ay) lasting = EVERLASTING.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 159. Eche hele, lestende liht, and endeles lif.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 2294. To arisen from ream to aa lestinde lahtre.
1258. Charter Hen. III., in Tyrrell, Hist. Eng. (1700), II. App. 25. We willen thet this beo stedefæst and lestinde.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 221. Stoutly was þat stoure, long lastand þat fight.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XX. 620. God … Bryng ws hye till hevynnis bliss, Quhar all-wayis lestand liking is.
c. 1440. York Myst., i. 46. In blys for to byde in hys blyssyng, Ay lastande.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 104. To thi reward thou sall haiff lestand blyss.
a. 1550[?]. in Dunbar’s Poems (1893), 328. Fall on kneis doun Befoir the king of lestand lyfe and lycht.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1590), 337 b. The strongest building, and lastingest monarchies are subiect to end.
1603. B. Jonson, K. Jas.’ Entertainm. Coronation, Wks. (1616), 862. That did auspicate So lasting glory to Avgvstvs state.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xvii. 87. Somwhat else required to make their Agreement constant and lasting.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Lett., Wks. (1836), I. 346. Retarded by the lasting south-west wind.
1738. G. Lillo, Marina, III. ii. 47. The lasting’st peace is death.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xii. I. 346. A lasting deliverance from the inroads of the Scythian nations.
1809. Med. Jrnl., XXI. 312. It is not … from a vast variety of external applications … that we are to expect lasting or even temporary benefit.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xv. III. 506. The husband of that Alice Lisle whose death has left a lasting stain on the memory of James the Second.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 363. All these things are only lasting when they depend upon one another.
2. Of material substances: Durable. † Of provisions, fruit, etc.: Keeping well; continuing fresh and undecayed (obs.).
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 1736. [She] laced wel eché leme wiþ lastend þonges.
1599. H. Buttes, Dyets drie Dinner, N v. Creame … neither is it so lasting as butter.
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. iii. 8. A Violet … Forward, not permanent; sweet, not lasting.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xvii. 173. This stone … is light and lasting.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 55. A sort of good lasting fish.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., VII. 50. And Spanish Brown will make a lasting Colour for course Work.
1721. Berkeley, Prev. Ruin Gt. Brit., Wks. III. 199. Our black cloth is neither so lasting, nor of so good a dye as the Dutch.
3. Sporting slang. Of a horse: Able to ‘stay’; possessed of staying power. (Cf. LAST sb.4)
1811. Sporting Mag., XXXVII. 135. To get not only speedy but lasting racers. Ibid. (1821), New Ser. VIII. 88. How much a … lasting English racer, is capable of performing.
