transitive verb

1. 1. to bring to an end; complete to finish the work
   2. to come to the end of to finish a book
2. to use up; consume entirely finish your milk
3. to give final touches to; embellish or perfect
4. to treat (a cut edge, esp. of a garment), as by pinking, serging, or binding, in order to prevent raveling
5. to give (cloth, leather, wood, etc.) a desired surface effect
6. 1. to cause the defeat, collapse, death, etc. of
   2. to render worthless, useless, helpless, etc.

Etymology: ME finishen < extended stem of OFr finir < L finire, to end < finis, an end, limit, orig., boundary (post), something fixed in the ground < IE base *dhīgw-, to stick in > dike, L figere, fix

intransitive verb

1. to come to an end; terminate
2. to complete something being done
3. to complete a contest in a specified position to finish last

noun

1. the last part; end
2. anything used to give a desired surface effect, as paint, varnish, polish, wax, etc.
3. completeness; perfection
4. the manner or method of completion
5. the way in which the surface, as of furniture, is painted, varnished, smoothed, polished, etc.
6. refinement as in manners, speech, etc.; polish in social or cultural matters
7. defeat, collapse, etc. or that which brings it about; downfall
8. the taste a wine leaves in the mouth after it has been swallowed
9. Carpentry joiner work, as the installation of doors, stairs, panels, etc., which completes the interior of a building