'last-ditch' originates from the military term 'last ditch,' referring to the final line of defense in a battle.

The term 'last ditch' was used in military contexts to describe the final defensive position, and it eventually became the modern English adjective 'last-ditch' to describe desperate efforts.

Initially, it meant 'the final line of defense,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'desperate or final attempt.'