И-47

ПРИ ПОСЛЕДНЕМ ИЗДЫХАНИИ obs when used of a person PrepP Invar subj-compl with бытье (subj: human or animal) fixed WO

one is close to the moment of his death

X был при последнем издыхании = person X was at his last gasp

person X was breathing his last person X was on the verge of death animal X was about to die.

«Удивительно, как он (Мармеладов) ещё очнулся, - шепнул потихоньку доктор Раскольникову... - Сейчас умрёт». -«Неужели никакой надежды?» - «Ни малейшей! При последнем издыхании...» (Достоевский 3). "It's amazing that he (Marmeladov) even recovered consciousness," the doctor whispered softly to Raskolnikov.... "He'll die very soon." "Is there no hope at all?" "Not the slightest! He's at his last gasp..." (3a).

Два казака, встретившие меня и следившие за убийцей, подоспели, подняли раненого, но он был уже при последнем издыхании... (Лермонтов 1). The two Cossacks who had met me and who were on the lookout for the murderer, came along, they picked up the wounded officer, but he was already breathing his last... (1a).