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end

[ end ]

/ ɛnd /

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Definition of end

noun

the last part or extremity, lengthwise, of anything that is longer than it is wide or broad: the end of a street;the end of a rope.

a point, line, or limitation that indicates the full extent, degree, etc., of something; limit; bounds: kindness without end;to walk from end to end of a city.

a part or place at or adjacent to an extremity: at the end of the table;the west end of town.

the furthermost imaginable place or point: an island at the very end of the world.

termination; conclusion: The journey was coming to an end.

the concluding part: The end of her speech had to be cut short because of time.

an intention or aim: to gain one's ends.

the object for which a thing exists; purpose: The happiness of the people is the end of government.

an outcome or result: What is to be the end of all this bickering?

termination of existence; death: He met a horrible end.

a cause of death, destruction, or ruin: Another war would be the end of civilization.

a remnant or fragment: mill end;ends and trimmings.

a share or part in something: He does his end of the job very well.

Textiles. a warp thread running vertically and interlaced with the filling yarn in the woven fabric.

Football.

either of the linemen: stationed farthest from the center.
the position played by this lineman.

Archery. the number of arrows to be shot by a competitor during one turn in a match.

Cricket. a wicket, especially the one where the batsman is taking a turn.

a unit of a game, as in curling or lawn bowling.

Kantianism. any rational being, regarded as worthy to exist for its own sake.

either half of a domino.

Knots. the part of a rope, beyond a knot or the like, that is not used.

the end, Slang. the ultimate; the utmost of good or bad: His stupidity is the end.

verb (used with object)

to bring to an end or conclusion: We ended the discussion on a note of optimism.

to put an end to; terminate: This was the battle that ended the war.

to form the end of: This passage ends the novel.

to cause the demise of; kill: A bullet through the heart ended him.

to constitute the most outstanding or greatest possible example or instance of (usually used in the infinitive):You just committed the blunder to end all blunders.

verb (used without object)

to come to an end; terminate; cease: The road ends at Rome.

to issue or result: Extravagance ends in want.

to reach or arrive at a final condition, circumstance, or goal (often followed by up): to end up in the army;to end as a happy person.

adjective

final or ultimate: the end result.

OTHER WORDS FOR end

4 extremity, boundary, terminus.

See synonyms for end on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about end

at loose ends, without an occupation or plans; unsettled; uncertain: He spent two years wandering about the country at loose ends.

at one's wit's end, at the end of one's ideas or mental resources; perplexed: I'm at my wit's end with this problem.Also at one's wits' end.

end for end, in reverse position; inverted: The cartons were turned end for end.

end on, with the end next to or facing: He backed the truck until it was end on with the loading platform.

end to end, in a row with ends touching: The pipes were placed end to end on the ground.

go off the deep end, Informal. to act in a reckless or agitated manner; lose emotional control: She went off the deep end when she lost her job.

in the end, finally; after all: In the end they shook hands and made up.

keep / hold one's end up, to perform one's part or share adequately: The work is demanding, but he's holding his end up.

make an end of, to conclude; stop: Let's make an end of this foolishness and get down to work.

make ends meet, to live within one's means: Despite her meager income, she tried to make ends meet.Also make both ends meet.

no end, Informal. very much or many: They were pleased no end by the warm reception.

on end,

having the end down; upright: to stand a box on end.
continuously; successively: They talked for hours on end.

put an end to, to cause to stop; terminate; finish: The advent of sound in motion pictures put an end to many a silent star's career.

Origin of end

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English ende; cognate with Old Frisian enda, Middle Dutch e(i)nde, Old Saxon endi, Old High German anti, German Ende, Old Norse endi(r), Gothic andeis “end,” from unattested Germanic anthjá-; akin to Sanskrit ánta- “end”

synonym study for end

5. End, close, conclusion, finish, outcome refer to the termination of something. End implies a natural termination or completion, or an attainment of purpose: the end of a day, of a race; to some good end. Close often implies a planned rounding off of something in process: the close of a conference. Conclusion suggests a decision or arrangement: All evidence leads to this conclusion; the conclusion of peace terms. Finish emphasizes completion of something begun: a fight to the finish. Outcome suggests the issue of something that was in doubt: the outcome of a game. 7. See aim.

OTHER WORDS FROM end

ender, noun

Words nearby end

encyclopedic, encyclopedism, encyclopedist, encyst, encysted calculus, end, end-all, endamage, endameba, endamoeba, endangeitis

Other definitions for end (2 of 4)

end²

[ end ]

/ ɛnd /

verb (used with object) British Dialect.

to put wheat, hay, or other grain into a stack or barn.

Origin of end

First recorded in 1610–20; perhaps variant of dialect in “to harvest,” from Old English innian “to lodge, put up”; see inn

Other definitions for end (3 of 4)

end-

variant of endo- before a vowel: endameba.

Other definitions for end (4 of 4)

end.

abbreviation

endorsed.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT END

What is a basic definition of end?

An end is a conclusion or a last part of a long object. To end is to cease. The word end has many other senses as a verb, noun, and adjective and is used in several idioms.

End is a very general word that means a conclusion or a part that is near the conclusion. For example, the end of the summer is the exact moment that it stops being summer, while the end of a movie is the last scene or even the last act. End is often used figuratively to mean death, which is the end of a person’s life.

Real-life examples: The end of World War II occurred in 1945. The credits usually happen at the end of a movie. Sunset signals the end of daytime.
Used in a sentence: I liked the beginning of the book, but it got boring near the end.

In a similar sense, end is used as a verb to mean to cease or to stop permanently or put a stop to something.

Real-life examples: You can end a fight by walking away. A class often ends when the bell rings. Sometimes, though, the teacher ends the class early and lets all the students leave.
Used in a sentence: The song was just getting good when it suddenly ended.

As a noun, end can also mean a last part of something. This sense is used to describe objects that are longer than they are wide. For example, a pencil has an eraser on one end and graphite to write with at the other end.

Real-life examples: Most power cables have one end that plugs into an electronic device and another end that plugs into the wall. You usually walk across a hallway from one end to the other. A soccer field has goals at each end.
Used in a sentence: Always point the sharp end of the scissors away from people when you carry them.

Where does end come from?

The first records of end come from before the 900s. It comes from the Old English ende and is related to many other words with the same meaning, including the Old Norse endir, the Gothic andeis, and the Old High German anti.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to end?

ender (noun)
ending (noun, present tense verb)
endless (adjective)
endlessly (adverb)
unending (adjective)

What are some synonyms for end?

What are some words that share a root or word element with end?

What are some words that often get used in discussing end?

How is end used in real life?

End is a very common word that most often means a finish or to conclude something.

Spoke to a young man in Queens yesterday who was struggling with the end of a long-term relationship. He was 22. I told him that he had a ton to look forward to and that the intensity decreases over time. It does. And he does.

— Andrew Yang🧢🗽🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) January 17, 2021

Admittedly, the experiment of trying to get my 84 year old dad to work on a shared Google doc ended badly.

— Julie Cohen (@FilmmakerJulie) April 4, 2018

The HOUSEWORK!!! It never ends.

— Lisa Francesca Nand (@lfnand) January 14, 2021

Try using end!

Is end used correctly in the following sentence?

I like to eat dessert at the end of a meal so that the meal finishes on a sweet note.

How to use end in a sentence

Both Super Bowl quarterbacks will end up having offseason surgeries.
Bucs’ Tom Brady will undergo surgical procedure for a ‘cleanup’ of his knee|Mark Maske|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
As part of the agreement, the nation’s highest-paid strength coach at $800,000 annually would receive 15 months’ salary and 15 months of benefits for him and his family, though the latter would end if he found new employment.
Jaguars’ Urban Meyer hires strength coach accused of mistreating players while at Iowa|Matt Bonesteel|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Keller, 21, said he didn’t plan to return to Overwatch when he announced his retirement but, eventually, he ended up trying out for the British Hurricane.
The OWL’s London Spitfire are hoping to go big by going home|Teddy Amenabar|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
If done right, you can end up turning a bad experience into a good one.
A small business’ step-by-step guide to dominating local search in 2021|Joseph Dyson|February 10, 2021|Search Engine Watch

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov returned to practice Monday, ending their stints on the NHL’s covid-19 protocol list as the league continues to deal with coronavirus issues.
Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ilya Samsonov return to practice after bouts with the coronavirus|Samantha Pell|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Yet this, in the end, is a book from which one emerges sad, gloomy, disenchanted, at least if we agree to take it seriously.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the end, the clarity that comes from moments of horror can help us recommit to deeper principles.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the end, I find it never fails to modernize even the most dramatic things.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Kennedy: "Mankind must put an end to war — or war will put an end to mankind."
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!|Olivia Nuzzi|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This reporter knocked at the Wilkins home on Tuesday morning but received neither an answer nor the business end of a shotgun.
The 7-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor’s Brutal Journey Through the Woods|James Higdon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I presume the twenty-five or thirty miles at this end is unhealthy, even for natives, but it surely need not be so.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
On to Gaba Tepe just in time to see the opening, the climax and the end of the dreaded Turkish counter attack.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
He wanted to tell her that if she called her father, it would mean the end of everything for them, but he withheld this.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
Under the internal pressure his whiskers stood on end and his face grew red.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
She stood, in her young purity, at one end of the chain of years, and Mrs. Chepstow—did she really stand at the other?
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens

British Dictionary definitions for end (1 of 4)

end¹

/ (ɛnd) /

noun

the extremity of the length of something, such as a road, line, etc

the surface at either extremity of a three-dimensional object

the extreme extent, limit, or degree of something

the most distant place or time that can be imaginedthe ends of the earth

the time at which something is concluded

the last section or part
(as modifier)the end office Related adjectives: final, terminal, ultimate

a share or parthis end of the bargain

(often plural) a remnant or fragment (esp in the phrase odds and ends)

a final state, esp death; destruction

the purpose of an action or existence

sport either of the two defended areas of a playing field, rink, etc

bowls curling a section of play from one side of the rink to the other

American football a player at the extremity of the playing line; wing

all ends up totally or completely

a sticky end informal, US and Canadian an unpleasant death

at a loose end or US and Canadian at loose ends without purpose or occupation

at an end exhausted or completed

at the end of the day See day (def. 10)

come to an end to become completed or exhausted

end on

with the end pointing towards one
with the end adjacent to the end of another object

go off the deep end informal to lose one's temper; react angrily

get one's end away slang to have sexual intercourse

in the end finally

keep one's end up

to sustain one's part in a joint enterprise
to hold one's own in an argument, contest, etc

make ends meet or make both ends meet to spend no more than the money one has

no end or no end of informal (intensifier)I had no end of work

on end

upright
without pause or interruption

the end informal

the worst, esp something that goes beyond the limits of endurance
mainly US the best in quality

the end of the road the point beyond which survival or continuation is impossible

throw someone in at the deep end to put someone into a new situation, job, etc, without preparation or introduction

verb

to bring or come to a finish; conclude

to die or cause to die

(tr) to surpass; outdoa novel to end all novels

end it all informal to commit suicide

Derived forms of end

ender, noun

Word Origin for end

Old English ende; related to Old Norse endir, Gothic andeis, Old High German endi, Latin antiae forelocks, Sanskrit antya last

British Dictionary definitions for end (2 of 4)

end²

/ (ɛnd) /

verb

(tr) British to put (hay or grain) into a barn or stack

Word Origin for end

Old English innian; related to Old High German innōn; see inn

British Dictionary definitions for end (3 of 4)

end-

combining form

a variant of endo-

British Dictionary definitions for end (4 of 4)

-end

suffix forming nouns

See -and

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for end

end-

pref.

Variant ofendo-

Other Idioms and Phrases with end

end

In addition to the idioms beginning with end

end game
end in itself
end justifies the means, the
end of one's rope, at the
end of the line
end run
ends of the earth, the
end to end
end up

also see:

all's well that ends well
at loose ends
at one's wit's end
be-all and end-all
beginning of the end
bitter end
burn the candle at both ends
can't see beyond the end of one's nose
come to an end
dead end
go off the deep end
hair stand on end
hold one's end up
in the end
light at the end of the tunnel
make ends meet
never hear the end of
odds and ends
on end
on the receiving end
play both ends against the middle
put an end to
rear end
short end (of the stick)
tail end
wrong end of the stick

end

Definition of end

OTHER WORDS FOR end

Idioms about end

Origin of end

synonym study for end

OTHER WORDS FROM end

Words nearby end

Other definitions for end (2 of 4)

Origin of end

Other definitions for end (3 of 4)

Other definitions for end (4 of 4)

MORE ABOUT END

What is a basic definition of end?

Where does end come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is end used in real life?

Try using end!

Words related to end

How to use end in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for end (1 of 4)

Derived forms of end

Word Origin for end

British Dictionary definitions for end (2 of 4)

Word Origin for end

British Dictionary definitions for end (3 of 4)

British Dictionary definitions for end (4 of 4)

Medical definitions for end

Other Idioms and Phrases with end