last vs rearward

last

verb
  • To hold out, continue undefeated or entire. 

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

  • To endure, continue over time. 

adv
  • Most recently. 

  • after everything else; finally 

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

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

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. 

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. 

rearward

adj
  • Toward the back or rear of something. 

noun
  • The last troop; the rear of an army; a rear guard. 

  • The part that comes last or is situated in the rear; conclusion, wind-up. 

adv
  • Toward the back or rear of something. 

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