finish
- to bring (something) to an end or to completion; complete: to finish a novel; to finish breakfast.
- to come to the end of (a course, period of time, etc.): to finish school.
- to use completely (often followed by up or off): to finish up a can of paint; to finish off the rest of the milk.
- to overcome completely; destroy or kill (often followed by off): This spray will finish off the cockroaches.
- to complete and perfect in detail; put the final touches on (sometimes followed by up): He decided to finish his plan more carefully. She finished up a painting.
- to put a finish on (wood, metal, etc.): We finished the desk in antique red lacquer.
- to perfect (a person) in education, accomplishments, social graces, etc.
- to ready (livestock) for market by feeding a diet calculated to produce the desired weight.
- to come to an end: The course finishes in January.
- to complete a course, project, etc. (sometimes followed by up): I finished before he did. It was nine o'clock when we finished up.
- (of livestock) to become fattened for market.
- the end or conclusion; the final part or last stage.
- the end of a hunt, race, etc.: a close finish.
- a decisive ending: a fight to the finish.
- the quality of being finished or completed with smoothness, elegance, etc.: to admire the finish of one's writing.
- educational or social polish.
- the manner in which an object is perfected or finished in its preparation, or an effect imparted in finishing.
- the surface coating or texture of wood, metal, etc.
- something used or serving to finish, complete, or perfect a thing.
- woodwork or the like, especially in the interior of a building, not essential to the structure but used for purposes of ornament, neatness, etc.: a finish of black walnut.
- Also called finish coat, finishing coat. a final coat of plaster or paint.
- a material for application in finishing.
- Animal Husbandry. the fat tissue of livestock.
- the flavor remaining in the mouth after a wine has been swallowed.
- finish with,
- to bring to completion: She's finished with her latest novel.
- to put aside, break all relations with, or reject finally: He's finished with football and will play only baseball now. After the way they treated us, we're finished with them.
Origin of finish
Synonyms for finish
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
Related Words for finish
accomplishment, ending, finale, defeat, appearance, surface, do, accomplish, end, complete, conclude, stop, clinch, settle, close, make, achieve, go, spend, overcomeExamples from the Web for finish
Contemporary Examples of finish
I had been studying abroad in London, and came back to finish the semester at Tufts.
In 2008 and 2012, Huckabee and Santorum, respectively won the Iowa Caucus, but did not make it to the finish line.
“We would love to finish what we started some years ago,” Branson told journalists at a news conference with notable hesitancy.
Finish the sauce by putting the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
He said, “I am breaking my heart over this story, and cannot bear to finish it.”
Historical Examples of finish
You can finish making up your mind on the way to Harlowe House.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton CampusJessie Graham Flower
It was the marshal calling to them that Andrew was gone and inviting them in to finish him.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
He would go in, he would overhaul Sally, and then finish the chase with a play of revolvers.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
If he looked ahead he would see what we idiomatically know as his "finish."
The Conquest of FearBasil King
But generally speaking, it does escape them, and lives to finish its task.
The Conquest of FearBasil King
finish
- to bring to an end; complete, conclude, or stop
- (intr sometimes foll by up) to be at or come to the end; use up
- to bring to a desired or complete condition
- to put a particular surface texture on (wood, cloth, etc)
- (often foll by off) to destroy or defeat completely
- to train (a person) in social graces and talents
- (intr foll by with)
- to end a relationship or association
- to stop punishing a personI haven't finished with you yet!
- the final or last stage or part; end
- the death, destruction, or absolute defeat of a person or one side in a conflicta fight to the finish
- the person, event, or thing that brings this about
- the surface texture or appearance of wood, cloth, etca rough finish
- a preparation, such as varnish, used to produce such a texture
- a thing, event, etc, that completes
- completeness and high quality of workmanship
- refinement in social graces
- sport ability to sprint at the end of a racehe has a good finish
Word Origin for finish
Word Origin and History for finish
late 14c., "to bring to an end;" mid-15c., "to come to an end," from Old French finiss-, present participle stem of fenir (13c.) "stop, finish, come to an end, die," from Latin finire "to limit, set bounds, put an end to, come to an end," from finis "boundary, limit, border, end," of unknown origin, perhaps related to figere "to fasten, fix" (see fix). Meaning "to kill" is from 1755. Related: Finished; finishing. Finishing school is from 1836.
1779, "that which finishes or gives completion," from finish (v.). Meaning "the end" is from 1790. Finish line attested from 1873.
Idioms and Phrases with finish
finish
see from soup to nuts (start to finish); in at the death (finish).