bring up the rear

bring up the rear

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

bring up the rear

1. (idiomatic) To be last in a moving line of people, to walk or go behind others in a line.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292:

     As for the guides, they were debarred from the pleasure of discourse, the one being placed in the van, and the other obliged to bring up the rear.

Translations

to be last in a moving line of people

Chinese: Mandarin: 墊後, 垫后 (diànhòu)

French: fermer la marche (fr) Spanish: cerrar la marcha