A last-ditch attempt is a final try to get something done before it is too late — when every better plan has already failed. You will nearly always hear it in front of effort, attempt, bid, or appeal: a last-ditch effort to save the company, a last-ditch attempt to win the vote. It feels serious and a bit desperate, not playful.

A last-ditch attempt 最後一搏的嘗試 is a final try to get something done 是趕在來不及之前做的最後嘗試 before it is too late 趕在來不及之前 — when every better plan has already failed 當更好的計畫都已經失敗的時候。You will nearly always hear it 你幾乎都會聽到它 in front of effort, attempt, bid, or appeal 放在effort、attempt、bid或appeal前面: a last-ditch effort to save the company 搶救公司的最後一搏, a last-ditch attempt to win the vote 贏得選票的最後一搏。It feels serious and a bit desperate 給人的感覺是嚴肅又有點絕望, not playful 不是開玩笑的

The picture behind it is old war: a ditch is a long hole in the ground, and the last ditch is the last line you can stand in.

The picture behind it 這個詞背後的畫面 is old war 是古代戰爭: a ditch is a long hole in the ground 壕溝是地上一條長長的溝, and the last ditch is the last line you can stand in 最後一道壕溝就是你能守住的最後防線

The current sense was popularized in an 1847 translation by Agnes Strickland of words attributed to William of Orange in 1672, when the French were invading and people told him to give Holland to Louis XIV: “No, I mean to die in the last ditch.” We no longer mean a real hole in the earth; we mean “I will not give up until the very end.” Hyphenate it when it sits before a noun.

The current sense 現在這個用法 was popularized 是被推廣開來的 in an 1847 translation by Agnes Strickland 透過Agnes Strickland在1847年的翻譯 of words attributed to William of Orange in 1672 翻譯的是1672年傳說是威廉三世說的話, when the French were invading 當時法國正在入侵, and people told him to give Holland to Louis XIV 有人叫他把荷蘭讓給路易十四: "No, I mean to die in the last ditch." 「不，我打算死守在最後一道壕溝裡」。We no longer mean a real hole in the earth 我們現在已經不是在講真正的地上的洞; we mean "I will not give up until the very end." 我們的意思是「我不到最後絕不放棄」。Hyphenate it 要加連字號 when it sits before a noun 當它放在名詞前面的時候