0
Newguest Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

On the second to last day

On the second to last day (during the marathon he was running) he ignored the cut on his toe.

--- Does it mean "almost to the end"?
  

Top answer

It means the penultimate day -- not the last day, but the one before it. Note that this refers to actual days, and it would have to be a multi-day marathon (at least three days is implied) for it to apply here. You could also say "next-to-last day" or "the day before the last".

— Sijay

  • It means the penultimate day -- not the last day, but the one before it.
  • Note that this refers to actual days, and it would have to be a multi-day marathon (at least three days is implied) for it to apply here.
  • You could also say "next-to-last day" or "the day before the last".
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

5 Answers
0
It means the penultimate day -- not the last day, but the one before it.

Note that this refers to actual days, and it would have to be a multi-day marathon (at least three days is implied) for it to apply here.

You could also say "next-to-last day" or "the day before the last".
0
0
Ok, so the sentence:

But Michael, in his own words, "never quits" and on the second to last day he ignored the cut on his toe, his sore ankle and muscle strains.

means that he ignoed all these things until the penultimate day of the marathon? Or maybe on this very day he started to ignore them?
0
0
Sounds like Michael had these complaints earlier, and may or may not have been trying to ignore them, but on the second to last day he was determined to put them out of his mind.
0
0
So on this very day he did all he could to ignore the pain?
0

Related Questions