finish
finish definition
fin·ish (fin′is̸h)
transitive verb
- to bring to an end; complete to finish the work
- to come to the end of to finish a book
- to use up; consume entirely finish your milk
- to give final touches to; embellish or perfect
- to treat (a cut edge, esp. of a garment), as by pinking, serging, or binding, in order to prevent raveling
- to give (cloth, leather, wood, etc.) a desired surface effect
- to cause the defeat, collapse, death, etc. of
- 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
- to come to an end; terminate
- to complete something being done
- to complete a contest in a specified position to finish last
noun
- the last part; end
- anything used to give a desired surface effect, as paint, varnish, polish, wax, etc.
- completeness; perfection
- the manner or method of completion
- the way in which the surface, as of furniture, is painted, varnished, smoothed, polished, etc.
- refinement as in manners, speech, etc.; polish in social or cultural matters
- defeat, collapse, etc. or that which brings it about; downfall
- the taste a wine leaves in the mouth after it has been swallowed
- Carpentry joiner work, as the installation of doors, stairs, panels, etc., which completes the interior of a building
Related Forms:
- finisher fin′·isher noun
finish Idioms
finish off
- to end or complete
- to kill or destroy
finish up
- to end or complete
- to consume all of
finish with
- to end or complete
- to end relations with; become indifferent to
in at the finish
being present or taking part at the conclusion, as of a contest
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