finish

 
Pronunciation: /ˈfɪnɪʃ/

verb

[with object]
  • 1bring (a task or activity) to an end; complete: they were straining to finish the job [with present participle]: we finished eating our meal
  • consume or get through the final amount or portion of (something, especially food or drink): Seagram finished off a margarita as he waited
  • [no object] (of a period or activity) come to an end: the war has finished but nothing has changed
  • [no object] end a period of time or course of action by doing something or being in a particular position: he finished up as one of Britain’s greatest architects
  • [no object] reach the end of a race or other competition: the first four horses to finish [with complement]: Falkirk finished fifth in the Scottish Premier League
  • [no object] British (in soccer) score a goal or goals: Dean finished well to put his team ahead
  • kill, destroy, or comprehensively defeat: the English men-at-arms finished them off in hand-to-hand combat
  • reduce to utter exhaustion or helplessness.
  • 2complete the manufacture or decoration of (an article) by giving it an attractive surface appearance: the interior was finished with American oak
  • complete the fattening of (livestock) before slaughter: over 100,000 head of cattle are finished every year (as adjective finished) a reduction in prices for finished cattle
  • 3 dated prepare (a girl) for entry into fashionable society: where were you finished?

noun

  • 1 [usually in singular] an end or final part or stage of something: a bowl of raspberries was the perfect finish to the meal I really enjoyed the film from start to finish
  • a point or place at which a race or competition ends: he surged into a winning lead 200 metres from the finish
  • 2 [mass noun] the manner in which the manufacture of an article is completed in detail: the car’s popularity is helped by its high-quality finish and strong diesel engine
  • [count noun] the surface appearance of a manufactured material or object, or the material used to produce this: lightweight nylon with a shiny finish
  • the final taste impression of a wine or beer: the wine has a lemony tang on the finish

Phrases

to the finish

until the complete defeat of one of the parties involved: Linfield clinched their first championship in a thrilling fight to the finish

Phrasal Verbs

finish with

British have no more need for or nothing more to do with: they give me the newspaper when they’ve finished with it
informal end an emotional relationship with: ‘I’ve finished with Tom,’ Gloria said

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French feniss-, lengthened stem of fenir, from Latin finire, from finis 'end'