bookend

[book-end]

noun

1. a support placed at the end of a row of books to hold them upright, usually used in pairs.

2. one of two things occurring or located at either end of something else.

   two events that served as bookends to my career.

verb (used with object)

1. to occur or be located at the beginning and end of.

   His term in office was bookended by crises.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bookend¹

First recorded in 1905–10; book + end ¹

Example Sentences

The photographs that bookend “Here to There,” respectively titled “Decision Time” and “Decision Made,” were snapped through Mr. Winter’s windshield mere moments apart.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I don’t think Ma could have spent five minutes in this place without running to her car and gifting it some good, high-quality bookends.

Read more on Literature

San Sebastián calls to us as it did Jake to put a bookend on his own fiesta.

Read more on Salon

“Better Broken” is a bookend to that moment, coming out right as her children are emptying the nest.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Athletics' return to Tokyo means, fittingly, that the event in the Japanese capital bookends a five-year run of major championships - a situation caused by the pandemic and subsequent postponements.

Read more on BBC