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end

Syllabification: (end)
Pronunciation: /end/

Translate end | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of end

noun

  • 1a final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity, or a story:the end of the year Mario led the race from beginning to end
  • a termination of a state or situation:the party called for an end to violence one notice will be effective to bring the tenancy to an end
  • used to emphasize that something, typically a subject of discussion, is considered finished:you will go to church and that’s the end of it
  • death or ruin:if she’s caught stealing again, it will be the end of her career
  • archaic (in biblical use) an ultimate state or condition:the end of that man is peace
  • 2the furthest or most extreme part or point of something:a length of wire with a hook at the end [as modifier]:the end house
  • a small piece that is left after something has been used:a box of candle ends
  • a specified extreme point on a scale:homebuyers at the lower end of the market
  • the part or share of an activity with which someone is concerned:you’re going to honor your end of the deal
  • a place that is linked to another by a telephone call, letter, or journey:“Hello,” said a voice at the other end
  • the part of an athletic field or court defended by one team or player.
  • 3a goal or result that one seeks to achieve:each would use the other to further his own ends to this end, schools were set up for peasant women
  • 4 Lawn Bowling & Curling a session of play in one particular direction across the playing area.
  • 5 Football an offensive or defensive lineman positioned nearest to the sideline.

verb

  • come or bring to a final point; finish: [no object]:when the war ended, policy changed the chapter ends with a case study [with object]:she wanted to end the relationship
  • [no object] reach a point and go no further:the boundary where agnosticism ends and atheism begins
  • [no object] perform a final act:the man ended by attacking a police officer
  • [no object] (end in) have as its final part, point, or result:one in three marriages is now likely to end in divorce
  • [no object] (end up) eventually reach or come to a specified place, state, or course of action:I ended up in Connecticut you could end up with a higher income

Phrases

at the end of the day

informal when everything is taken into consideration:at the end of the day, I’m responsible for what happens in the school

be at (or have come to) an end

be finished or completed.
(of a supply of something) become exhausted:our patience has come to an end

be at the end of

be close to having no more of (something):he was at the end of his ability to cope

be the end

informal be the limit of what one can tolerate:you really are the end!

come to (or meet) a bad end

be led by one’s own actions to ruin or an unpleasant death.

end one's days (or life)

spend the final part of one’s existence in a specified place or state:the last passenger pigeon ended her days in the Cincinnati Zoo

an end in itself

a goal that is pursued in its own right to the exclusion of others.

end in tears

have an unhappy or painful outcome (often as a warning):this treaty will end in tears

end it all

commit suicide.

the end of the road (or line)

the point beyond which progress or survival cannot continue:if the lawsuit is not dropped it could be the end of the road for the publisher

the end of one's rope (or tether)

having no patience or energy left to cope with something:after enduring four years of mice in the house, we were at the end of our rope they have reached the end of their tether

the end of the world

the termination of life on the earth.
informal a complete disaster:it’s not the end of the world if you’re not great at sports

end on

with the furthest point of an object facing toward one:seen end on, their sharp, rocky summits point like arrows
with the furthest point of an object touching that of another:slim stone tiles had been layered end on with incredible skill

end to end

in a row with the furthest point of one object touching that of another object.

in the end

eventually or on reflection:in the end, I saw that she was right

keep (or hold) one's end up

informal perform well in a difficult or competitive situation.

make an end of

cause (someone or something) to stop existing.

make (both) ends meet

earn enough money to live without getting into debt.

never (or not) hear the end of

be continually reminded of (an unpleasant topic or cause of annoyance).

no end

informal to a great extent; very much:this cheered me up no end

no end of

informal a vast number or amount of (something):we shared no end of good times

on end

  • 1continuing without stopping for a specified period of time:sometimes they’ll be gone for days on end
  • 2in an upright position:he brushed his hair, leaving a tuft standing on end

put an end to

cause someone or something to stop existing:injury put an end to his career

a —— to end all ——s

informal used to emphasize how impressive or successful something is of its kind:it was a party to end all parties

without end

without a limit or boundary:a war without end

Origin:

Old English ende (noun), endian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch einde (noun), einden (verb) and German Ende (noun), enden (verb)

end in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of end in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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