finish

[fin-ish]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR finish ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

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.

noun

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.

Verb Phrases

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

1300–50; Middle English finisshen < Anglo-French, Middle French finiss-, long stem of finir < Latin fīnīre to end. See fine¹

Related formsfin·ish·er, nounnon·fin·ish·ing, adjective, nounpre·fin·ish, verb (used with object), noun

Can be confusedFinnish finish

Synonyms for finish

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR finish ON THESAURUS.COM

1. terminate, conclude, close.

Synonym study

13. See end¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for finish

accomplishment, ending, finale, defeat, appearance, surface, do, accomplish, end, complete, conclude, stop, clinch, settle, close, make, achieve, go, spend, overcome

Examples 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.
Everyone at This Dinner Party Has Lost Someone
Samantha Levine
January 6, 2015
In 2008 and 2012, Huckabee and Santorum, respectively won the Iowa Caucus, but did not make it to the finish line.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?
Lloyd Green
January 4, 2015
“We would love to finish what we started some years ago,” Branson told journalists at a news conference with notable hesitancy.
You Were Wrong About Miley & Bitcoin: 2014’s Failed Predictions
Nina Strochlic
December 31, 2014
Finish the sauce by putting the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries
Carla Hall
December 24, 2014
He said, “I am breaking my heart over this story, and cannot bear to finish it.”
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas
Clive Irving
December 22, 2014

Historical Examples of finish

You can finish making up your mind on the way to Harlowe House.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus
Jessie Graham Flower
It was the marshal calling to them that Andrew was gone and inviting them in to finish him.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
He would go in, he would overhaul Sally, and then finish the chase with a play of revolvers.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
But generally speaking, it does escape them, and lives to finish its task.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
If he looked ahead he would see what we idiomatically know as his "finish."
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King

British Dictionary definitions for finish

finish

verb (mainly tr)

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!

noun

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

C14: from Old French finir, from Latin fīnīre see fine 1

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

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).