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end1 definition

end (end)

noun

  1. a limit or limiting part; point of beginning or stopping; boundary
  2. the last part of anything; final point; finish; completion; conclusion the end of the day
    1. a ceasing to exist; death or destruction
    2. the cause or manner of this
  3. the part at, toward, or near either of the extremities of anything; tip
    1. an outer district or region the west end of town
    2. a division, sector, area of responsibility, etc., as in an organization
  4. what is desired or hoped for; object; purpose; intention
  5. an outcome; result; upshot; consequence
  6. a piece left over; fragment; remnant odds and ends
  7. the reason for being; final cause
  8. Football
    1. a player at either end of the line
    2. his position

Etymology: ME & OE ende, akin to Ger ende, Goth andeis < IE *antyos, opposite, lying ahead < *anti-, opposite, facing (< base *ants, front, forehead) < OHG endi, forehead, Ger anti, L ante

transitive verb

  1. to bring to an end; finish; stop; conclude
  2. to be or form the end of

Etymology: ME enden < OE endian

intransitive verb

  1. to come to an end; terminate: often with up
  2. to die

adjective

at the end; final end man, end product
end Idioms

end for end

with the ends, or the position, reversed

ends of the earth

remote regions

end to end

in a line so that the ends touch or meet

in the end

finally; ultimately

keep one's end up

Informal to do one's share

make an end of

  1. to finish; stop
  2. to do away with

make (both) ends meet

Etymology: as in Fr joindre les deux bouts

to manage to keep one's expenses within one's income

no end

Informal extremely; very much or many

on end

  1. in an upright position
  2. without interruption for days on end

put an end to

  1. to stop
  2. to do away with

to end

that surpasses or exceeds a trip to end all trips
end2 definition

end

  1. endorse
  2. endorsement

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
end Synonyms

end

n.

  1. Purpose

    aim, object, intention; see purpose 1.

  2. The close of an action

    expiration, completion, termination, adjournment, final event, ending, close, denouement, finish, conclusion, arrangement, finale, cessation, discontinuation, target date, deadline, retirement, accomplishment, attainment, determination, achievement, fulfillment, payoff, realization, period, consummation, concluding part, culmination, perfection, execution, performance, last line, finis, epilogue, closing piece, closing scene, curtain, terminus, omega, last word, swan song, bottom line*, wrap-up*, windup*, beginning of the end, cutoff*, mopping up*, end of the line*.

    Antonyms beginning, start*, opening. *

  3. A result

    conclusion, effect, outcome, upshot; see result.

  4. The extremity

    terminal, termination, terminus, boundary, limit, borderline, border, bound(s), point, stub, stump, tail end, edge, tip, top, head, butt end, nib, pole, remnant, fragment.

    Antonyms center*, middle*, hub. *

  5. The close of life

    demise, passing, doom; see death 1.

keep one's end up*

do one's share, join, participate; see help 1, participate 1.

make (both) ends meet*
no end*

very much, extremely, greatly; see much 2, very.

on end
  1. ceaselessly, without interruption, continuously; see consecutively, regularly 2.

  2. straight, vertical, standing up;

put an end to

stop, finish, discontinue; see end 1. See syn. study at intention.


end

v.

  1. To bring to a halt

    stop, finish, quit, close, halt, terminate, conclude, complete, terminate, settle, shut down, leave off, switch off, bring to an end, make an end of, wind up, get done, break off, adjourn, break up, leave unfinished, relinquish, put an end to, discontinue, cut off, cut short, abort, postpone, play out, interrupt, dispose of, drop, give up, call it a day*, call it quits*, pull the plug*, put the lid on*, call off*, choke off*, ring down the curtain*, wrap up*. *

    Antonyms begin*, initiate*, start. *

  2. To bring to a conclusion

    complete, settle, conclude, terminate; see achieve 1.

  3. To come to an end

    desist, cease, die, peter out*; see stop 2.

  4. To die

    expire, depart, pass away; see die 1.

to end means to stop some process, whether or not it has been satisfactorily completed let's end this argument; to close is to come or bring to a stop, as if by shutting something regarded as previously open nominations are now closed; to conclude is to bring or come to a formal termination, often involving some final arrangement, decision, or action to conclude negotiations; to finish is to bring to a desired end that which one has set out to do, as by adding perfecting touches to finish a painting; to complete is to finish by filling in the missing or defective parts the award completed his happiness; to terminate is to bring or come to an end regarded as a limit or boundary to terminate a privilege


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

end Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • put: Put the pointy end of the balloon into the tub.

Adjective modifier

  • West: The offer is also available at Sri Thai Soho in Old Compton Street in the West End.

Modifies a noun

  • user: The end users should be experienced drivers who are familiar with the system.

Adjective complement

  • 31st: Innovation announced pre-tax profits of 3.51 million pounds, on turnover of 15.2 million, for the six months ending 31st March 2001.

Preposition: in

  • tear: Fresh hopes, great expectations but will it all end in tears or cheers?

Preposition: of

  • season: The photograph was taken toward the end of the 2000 season.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • up: The houses on the left of the stream ended up under about a foot of water.
end usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

end quotes

Once to die is better than length of days in sorrow without end.

-Aeschylus

The end and object of conquest is to avoid doing the same thing as the conquered.

-Alexander the Great

Enjoyanother glass, for you see what the end is.

-Anonymous

end quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"end." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/end>

APA Style

end. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/end

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