last vs start

last

verb
  • To shape with a last; to fasten or fit to a last; to place smoothly on a last. 

  • To hold out, continue undefeated or entire. 

  • To endure, continue over time. 

det
  • The (one) immediately before the present. 

  • Closest in the past, or closest but one if the closest was very recent; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) ago, or the most recent instance before seven days (one week) ago. 

noun
  • A tool for shaping or preserving the shape of shoes. 

  • A load of some commodity with reference to its weight and commercial value. 

adv
  • Most recently. 

  • after everything else; finally 

adj
  • Being the only one remaining of its class. 

  • Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely, or least preferable. 

  • Supreme; highest in degree; utmost. 

  • Lowest in rank or degree. 

  • Most recent, latest, last so far. 

  • Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind. 

start

verb
  • To set in motion. 

  • To begin. 

  • To flinch or draw back. 

  • To awaken suddenly. 

  • To put or raise (a question, an objection); to put forward (a subject for discussion). 

  • To disturb and cause to move suddenly; to startle; to alarm; to rouse; to cause to flee or fly. 

  • To break away, to come loose. 

  • To put into play. 

  • To move suddenly from its place or position; to displace or loosen; to dislocate. 

  • To pour out; to empty; to tap and begin drawing from. 

  • To have its origin (at), begin. 

  • To bring onto being or into view; to originate; to invent. 

  • To jerk suddenly in surprise. 

  • To start one's periods (menstruation). 

  • To begin an activity. 

  • To ready the operation of a vehicle or machine. 

noun
  • The beginning point of a race, a board game, etc. 

  • An appearance in a sports game, horserace, etc., from the beginning of the event. 

  • The curved or inclined front and bottom of a water wheel bucket. 

  • The arm, or level, of a gin, drawn around by a horse. 

  • An initial advantage over somebody else; a head start. 

  • A handle, especially that of a plough. 

  • A young plant germinated in a pot to be transplanted later. 

  • A projection or protrusion; that which pokes out. 

  • The beginning of an activity. 

  • An instance of starting. 

  • A sudden involuntary movement. 

How often have the words last and start occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )