hurrah

A last action before one ceases to do something. It's so good to see all of you at this meeting, my final hurrah before retirement. But this performance is your final hurrah before graduation—you have to do it! Come on, you need a final hurrah before your wedding—let's go to Vegas for the weekend!

An exclamation of praise, congratulations, or celebration. Often said as a call-and-response, in which one person prompts with "hip, hip," while the other person or people respond with "hurrah!" A: "Three cheers for Sarah, the savior of the company! Hip, hip!" B: "Hurrah!" A: "Hip, hip!" B: "Hurrah!" A: "Hip, hip!" B: "Hurrah!" Happy Birthday, Tommy! Hip, hip, hurrah! A: "Hip, hip!" B: "Hurrah!" A: "Hip, hip!" B: "Hurrah!"

A mess; a disorganized pile. Boy, these clothes are a hurrah's nest right now—can you help me sort them? A: "Where did these books even come from?" B: "I have no idea—they're all just a hurrah's nest right now." Hey, these files are a hurrah's nest. Can you get the interns to put them in alphabetical order at least?

A final act, achievement, or effort. Finishing the month-long project was Cheri's last hurrah before she left the company to pursue another opportunity.

A final appearance, especially at the end of one's career. The phrase has a bittersweet, if not sad, connotation, since it's applied to the end of a person's life's work. It could refer to a musical or theatrical performance or the end of a political career—the final time that the person will hear an audience or crowd shouting in praise. Swan song has a similar meaning, although not always used in a positive sense.