end

noun countable

UK /end/

Word Forms

singular	end
plural	ends

1
the final part of a period of time
at the end of something:
You’re going on holiday at the end of this month, aren’t you?
by the end of something:
The work should be completed by the end of the year.
the very end:
It was only at the very end of the 19th century that this practice was abolished.
Synonyms and related words
Ends, finishes and final stages
end
ending
finish
1. 1a
  the final part of something such as a book, film, or piece of music
  You don’t really know what it’s all about until the end.
  Synonyms and related words
  Ends, finishes and final stages
  end
  ending
  finish
2. 1b
  the time when a situation, event, or series of events stops
  Are you going to stay till the end of the game?
  This agreement could mean the end of the nuclear threat.
  at the end of something:
  At the end of the war the government made many promises for a better future.
  the end of the world:
  Astrologers have been predicting the end of the world ever since the Middle Ages.
  an end to something:
  We want to put an end to discrimination.
  no end in sight to something (=something seems likely to continue):
  There is still no end in sight to the slaughter and the suffering.
  Synonyms and related words
  Ends, finishes and final stages
  end
  ending
  finish
2
the place that is furthest away from the centre of a long area or object
She jumped in the pool at the deep end.
Take hold of both ends of the rope.
at the end of something:
The only door was situated at the end of the corridor.
the far end:
They live at the far end of our street.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
1. 2a
  one of the two halves of the area where a sports game is played
  Synonyms and related words
  Sports fields and parts of sports fields
  all-seater
  the area
  AstroTurf
3
usually pluralformalthe reason for a particular action or the result you want to achieve
He could have achieved his ends by peaceful means.
for political/commercial etc ends:
The government manipulates economic data for political ends.
for his/her/their etc own ends:
She used people for her own ends.
Synonyms and related words
Reasons and excuses
reason
excuse
point
4
informalthe part that you have in an activity or situation
From our end the situation looks pretty suspicious.
Kate is more involved in the research end of things.
someone’s end of the bargain/deal/conversation:
I’ve kept my end of the bargain (=done what I promised), but he hasn’t kept his.
Synonyms and related words
Involvement and participation
involvement
participation
intervention
5
one of two places connected by a telephone conversation, letter, or journey
at the other end:
I’ll be there to pick you up in the car at the other end.
on the end of something:
They kept me waiting on the end of the line all afternoon.
at this/my end:
It sounds a bit crackly at this end.
Synonyms and related words
Places of a particular type
a den of iniquity/vice
a happy/favourite hunting ground
anchorage
6
literarysomeone’s death
a peaceful end
Synonyms and related words
Death and general words relating to death
death
mortality
dying
7
used in the names of some districts of cities
I was brought up in the East End of London.
Synonyms and related words
Areas in towns or cities
agora
area
armpit
8
come/lead to good ends
to end purposefully, to work to good advantage
The difficult situations lead to good ends with my strenuous effort.
Submitted by:
Prakash Chandra Patel from India on 04/10/2016
Open Dictionary - October2016

phrases

at an end

at the end of the day

bring something to an end

come to an end

the end justifies the means

end of (story)

the end of the road/line

get your end away

go to the ends of the earth

hours/days/weeks etc on end

in the end

it’s not the end of the world

keep your end up

make (both) ends meet

no end

play both ends against the middle

stand something on end

to the ends of the earth

to this end

to/until the end of time

end

noun countable

US /end/

Word Forms

singular	end
plural	ends

1
the final part of a period of time
at the end of something:
You’re going on vacation at the end of this month, aren’t you?
by the end of something:
The work should be completed by the end of the year.
the very end:
It was only at the very end of the 19th century that this practice was abolished.
Synonyms and related words
Ends, finishes and final stages
end
ending
finish
1. 1a
  the final part of something such as a book, movie, or piece of music
  You don’t really know what it’s all about until the end.
  Synonyms and related words
  Ends, finishes and final stages
  end
  ending
  finish
2. 1b
  the time when a situation, event, or series of events stops
  Are you going to stay till the end of the game?
  This agreement could mean the end of the nuclear threat.
  at the end of something:
  At the end of the war the government made many promises for a better future.
  the end of the world:
  Astrologers have been predicting the end of the world ever since the Middle Ages.
  an end to something:
  We want to put an end to discrimination.
  no end in sight to something (=something seems likely to continue):
  There is still no end in sight to the slaughter and the suffering.
  Synonyms and related words
  Ends, finishes and final stages
  end
  ending
  finish
2
the place that is farthest away from the center of a long area or object
She jumped in the pool at the deep end.
Take hold of both ends of the rope.
at the end of something:
The only door was situated at the end of the corridor.
the far end:
They live at the far end of our street.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
1. 2a
  one of the two halves of the area where a sports game is played
  Synonyms and related words
  Sports fields and parts of sports fields
  alley
  AstroTurf
  backstop
3
usually pluralformalthe reason for a particular action or the result you want to achieve
He could have achieved his ends by peaceful means.
for political/commercial etc. ends:
The government manipulates economic data for political ends.
for his/her/their etc. own ends:
She used people for her own ends.
Synonyms and related words
Reasons and excuses
reason
excuse
point
4
informalthe part that you have in an activity or situation
From our end the situation looks pretty suspicious.
Kate is more involved in the research end of things.
someone’s end of the bargain/deal/conversation:
I’ve kept my end of the bargain (=done what I promised), but he hasn’t kept his.
Synonyms and related words
Involvement and participation
involvement
participation
intervention
5
one of two places connected by a telephone conversation, letter, or journey
at the other end:
I’ll be there to pick you up in the car at the other end.
on the end of something:
They kept me waiting on the end of the line all afternoon.
at this/my end:
It sounds a bit crackly at this end.
Synonyms and related words
Places of a particular type
a den of iniquity
aerie
a happy/favorite hunting ground
6
literarysomeone’s death
a peaceful end
Synonyms and related words
Death and general words relating to death
death
mortality
bereavement
7
in football, the ends are the two players who play on the outside of the tackles, or the positions they play
Synonyms and related words
The sport of American football
American football
backfield
blitz
8
come/lead to good ends
to end purposefully, to work to good advantage
The difficult situations lead to good ends with my strenuous effort.
Submitted by:
Prakash Chandra Patel from India on 04/10/2016
Open Dictionary - October2016

phrases

at an end

at the end of the day

bring something to an end

come to a bad end

come to an end

the end justifies the means

end of (story)

the end of the road/line

go to the ends of the earth

hours/days/weeks etc. on end

in the end

it’s not the end of the world

keep your end up

make (both) ends meet

no end

play both ends (against the middle)

stand something on (its) end

to the ends of the earth

to this end

to/until the end of time

end

verb

UK /end/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	end
he/she/it	ends
present participle	ending
past tense	ended
past participle	ended

1
intransitive to reach a final point
The marriage ended after only 11 months.
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
complete
end
carry through
1. 1a
  used for talking about a road or path
  The narrow lane ended abruptly in a farmyard.
  Synonyms and related words
  What roads, paths and areas of land do
  ascend
  bend
  bifurcate
2
transitive to make something reach its final point
the peace treaty that ended the war
A back injury effectively ended his career seven years ago.
I’d like to end my speech by thanking the people who made this conference possible.
Synonyms and related words
To bring an end to something
end
wind up
round off
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
complete
end
carry through
3
transitive to reach the final point of a period of time while in a particular place or state
The Dow Jones Index ended the day 15 points up on yesterday’s close.
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
complete
end
carry through
4
to kill someone
We’ll end you.
Submitted by:
Ismail from Russian Federation on 14/02/2018
Open Dictionary - February2018

phrases

end it all

end your days

the...to end all...

phrasal verbs

end in

end up

end with

end

verb

US /end/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	end
he/she/it	ends
present participle	ending
past tense	ended
past participle	ended

1
intransitive to reach a final point
The marriage ended after only 11 months.
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
finish with
complete
end
1. 1a
  used for talking about a road or path
  The narrow lane ended abruptly at the ranch’s entrance.
  Synonyms and related words
  What roads, paths and areas of land do
  ascend
  bend
  bifurcate
2
transitive to make something reach its final point
the peace treaty that ended the war
A back injury effectively ended his career seven years ago.
I’d like to end my speech by thanking the people who made this conference possible.
Synonyms and related words
To bring an end to something
end
wind up
conclude
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
finish with
complete
end
3
transitive to reach the final point of a period of time while in a particular place or state
The Dow Jones Index ended the day 15 points up on yesterday’s close.
Synonyms and related words
To finish something
finish with
complete
end
4
to kill someone
We’ll end you.
Submitted by:
Ismail from Russian Federation on 14/02/2018
Open Dictionary - February2018

phrases

end it all

end your days

the...to end all...

phrasal verbs

end in

end up

end with

end ​‌‌‌

come/lead to good ends

end ​‌‌‌

come/lead to good ends

end ​‌‌‌

end ​‌‌‌

end

end

end

end