bitter end

[bit-er end, bit-er end]

noun

1. the conclusion of a difficult or unpleasant situation; the last or furthest extremity.

   Despite the unpleasant scenes in the movie, she insisted on staying until the bitter end.

2. Nautical.

   1. the inboard end of an anchor chain or cable, secured in the chain locker of a vessel.

   2. the end of any chain or cable.

bitter end

noun

1. nautical the end of a line, chain, or cable, esp the end secured in the chain locker of a vessel

2. 1. until the finish of a task, job, or undertaking, however unpleasant or difficult

   2. until final defeat or death

Word History and Origins

Origin of bitter end¹

1620–30 in form bitters end; probably bitt + -er ¹ ( def. ), later taken as bitter

Word History and Origins

Origin of bitter end¹

C19: in both senses perhaps from _bitt

Idioms and Phrases

The last extremity; also, death or ruin. For example, I'm supporting the union's demands to the bitter end, or Even though they fight a lot, I'm sure Mom and Dad will stay together to the bitter end. The source of this term may have been nautical, a bitter being a turn of a cable around posts, or bitts, on a ship's deck, and the bitter end meaning “the part of the cable that stays inboard.” Thus, when a rope is paid out to the bitter end, no more remains. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

They arrive early to warm up the crowd and stay until the bitter end even if nobody is left to watch them.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At some point we have to stick to someone and see it through to the bitter end.

Read more on BBC

Thanks to Gi-hun’s knack for hanging on to the bitter end, we never have to find out what Myung-gi would have done.

Read more on Salon

Dame Andrea said she had "fought to the bitter end" but the Conservative Party was now "beyond salvage".

Read more on BBC

The death rate perpetuated stereotypes about drug dealers willing to shoot it out to the bitter end, risking the lives of their loved ones nearby and despite knowing the cops don’t miss.

Read more on Salon