finish

fin·ish

F0130200 (fĭn′ĭsh)v. fin·ished, fin·ish·ing, fin·ish·es v.tr.1. a. To stop (doing an activity or task) after reaching the point at which there is nothing left to do: finished cleaning the room.b. To bring to a required or desired state: finish an assignment; finish a painting. See Synonyms at complete.2. a. To arrive at or attain the end of: finish a race.b. Sports To perform the last maneuver in (an offensive play), scoring a goal.3. To consume all of; use up: finish a pie; finished off the pizza.4. To give (wood, for example) a desired or particular surface texture.5. To destroy; kill: finished the injured horse with a bullet.6. To bring about the ruin of: The stock market crash finished many speculators.v.intr.1. To come to an end; stop: a story that finishes with a twist.2. To reach the end of a task, course, or relationship: The speaker finished with a rousing call to action.3. Sports To score a goal as the last maneuver in a play: a good forward who just can't seem to finish.n.1. The final part; the conclusion: racers neck-and-neck at the finish.2. The reason for one's ruin; downfall: Stealing the computer codes proved to be his finish.3. Something that completes, concludes, or perfects, especially:a. The last treatment or coating of a surface: applied a shellac finish to the cabinet.b. The surface texture produced by such a treatment or coating.c. A material used in surfacing or finishing.4. Completeness, refinement, or smoothness of execution; polish.5. The flavor left in the mouth after wine has been swallowed.Phrasal Verb: finish with (someone) To stop interacting with (someone), especially to stop subjecting (someone) to something.

[Middle English finishen, from Old French finir, finiss-, to complete, from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis, end.]

fin′ish·er n.

finish

(ˈfɪnɪʃ) vb (mainly tr) 1. to bring to an end; complete, conclude, or stop2. (sometimes foll by: up) to be at or come to the end; use up3. to bring to a desired or complete condition4. to put a particular surface texture on (wood, cloth, etc)5. (often foll by off) to destroy or defeat completely6. to train (a person) in social graces and talents7. a. to end a relationship or associationb. to stop punishing a person: I haven't finished with you yet!. n8. the final or last stage or part; end9. a. the death, destruction, or absolute defeat of a person or one side in a conflict: a fight to the finish. b. the person, event, or thing that brings this about10. a. the surface texture or appearance of wood, cloth, etc: a rough finish. b. a preparation, such as varnish, used to produce such a texture11. a thing, event, etc, that completes12. completeness and high quality of workmanship13. refinement in social graces14. (Athletics (Track & Field)) sport ability to sprint at the end of a race: he has a good finish. [C14: from Old French finir, from Latin fīnīre see fine¹]

fin•ish

(ˈfɪn ɪʃ)

v.t. 1. to bring (something) to an end or to completion; complete. 2. to come to the end of (a course, period of time, etc.): to finish school. 3. to use completely (often fol. by up or off): to finish up a can of paint. 4. to overcome completely; destroy or kill (often fol. by off): This spray will finish off the cockroaches. 5. to complete and perfect in detail; put the final touches on (sometimes fol. by up): She finished up a painting. 6. to put a finish on (wood, metal, etc.). 7. to perfect (a person) in education, accomplishments, social graces, etc. v.i. 8. to come to an end. 9. to complete a course, project, etc. (sometimes fol. by up). 10. (of livestock) to achieve the desired market weight. n. 11. the final part or last stage. 12. the end of a hunt, race, etc.: a close finish. 13. a decisive ending: a fight to the finish. 14. the quality of being finished with smoothness, elegance, etc. 15. educational or social polish. 16. the surface coating of wood, metal, etc. 17. something used to finish or perfect a thing. 18. a final coat of plaster or paint. 19. a material for application in finishing. 20. the flavor remaining in the mouth after a wine has been swallowed. [1300–50; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French finir < Latin fīnīre to end] fin′ish•er, n.

finish

When something finishes, it ends.

The concert finished at midnight.

When you finish what you are doing, you reach the end of it.

Have you finished the ironing yet?When he had finished, he closed the file.

You can say that someone finishes doing something.

Jonathan finished studying three years ago.I've finished reading your book.

Be Careful!
Don't say that someone 'finishes to do' something.

finish

Past participle: finished
Gerund: finishing

Imperative
finish
finish

Present
I finish
you finish
he/she/it finishes
we finish
you finish
they finish

Preterite
I finished
you finished
he/she/it finished
we finished
you finished
they finished

Present Continuous
I am finishing
you are finishing
he/she/it is finishing
we are finishing
you are finishing
they are finishing

Present Perfect
I have finished
you have finished
he/she/it has finished
we have finished
you have finished
they have finished

Past Continuous
I was finishing
you were finishing
he/she/it was finishing
we were finishing
you were finishing
they were finishing

Past Perfect
I had finished
you had finished
he/she/it had finished
we had finished
you had finished
they had finished

Future
I will finish
you will finish
he/she/it will finish
we will finish
you will finish
they will finish

Future Perfect
I will have finished
you will have finished
he/she/it will have finished
we will have finished
you will have finished
they will have finished

Future Continuous
I will be finishing
you will be finishing
he/she/it will be finishing
we will be finishing
you will be finishing
they will be finishing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been finishing
you have been finishing
he/she/it has been finishing
we have been finishing
you have been finishing
they have been finishing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been finishing
you will have been finishing
he/she/it will have been finishing
we will have been finishing
you will have been finishing
they will have been finishing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been finishing
you had been finishing
he/she/it had been finishing
we had been finishing
you had been finishing
they had been finishing

Conditional
I would finish
you would finish
he/she/it would finish
we would finish
you would finish
they would finish

Past Conditional
I would have finished
you would have finished
he/she/it would have finished
we would have finished
you would have finished
they would have finished

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	finish - a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance); "the boat had a metallic finish"; "he applied a coat of a clear finish"; "when the finish is too thin it is difficult to apply evenly"finishing, coatingdecorativeness - an appearance that serves to decorate and make something more attractiveglaze - a coating for ceramics, metal, etc.shoeshine - a shiny finish put on shoes with polish and buffing; "his trousers had a sharp crease and you could see your reflection in his shoeshine"
	2.	finish - the temporal end; the concluding time; "the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell"; "the market was up at the finish"; "they were playing better at the close of the season"close, finis, last, stopping point, finale, conclusionend, ending - the point in time at which something ends; "the end of the year"; "the ending of warranty period"
	3.	finish - a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality; "they performed with great polish"; "I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose"; "almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art"--Joseph Conradrefinement, polish, cultivation, cultureflawlessness, ne plus ultra, perfection - the state of being without a flaw or defect
	4.	finish - the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey); "a crowd assembled at the finish"; "he was nearly exhausted as their destination came into view"destination, goalend, terminal - either extremity of something that has length; "the end of the pier"; "she knotted the end of the thread"; "they rode to the end of the line"; "the terminals of the anterior arches of the fornix"finish line, finishing line - a line indicating the location of the finish of a race
	5.	finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the winner is the team with the most points at the finish"happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happensstandoff, draw, tie - the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided; "the game ended in a draw"; "their record was 3 wins, 6 losses and a tie"photo finish - in general, any very close finish; in particular, a finish of a race in which the contestants are so close together that the winner must be determined from a photograph taken at the instant of finishingrunner-up finish, second-place finish - a finish in second place (as in a race)third-place finish - a finish in third place (as in a race)
	6.	finish - the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict); "booze will be the finish of him"; "it was a fight to the finish"downfall, ruination, ruin - failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
	7.	finish - event whose occurrence ends something; "his death marked the ending of an era"; "when these final episodes are broadcast it will be the finish of the show"conclusion, endinghappening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happensfinal stage, end, last - the concluding parts of an event or occurrence; "the end was exciting"; "I had to miss the last of the movie"final result, outcome, resultant, termination, result - something that results; "he listened for the results on the radio"foregone conclusion, matter of course - an inevitable endingdemolition, wipeout, destruction - an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys somethingomega, Z - the ending of a series or sequence; "the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end"--Revelationstop, halt - the event of something ending; "it came to a stop at the bottom of the hill"triumph, victory - a successful ending of a struggle or contest; "a narrow victory"; "the general always gets credit for his army's victory"; "clinched a victory"; "convincing victory"; "the agreement was a triumph for common sense"defeat, licking - an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest; "it was a narrow defeat"; "the army's only defeat"; "they suffered a convincing licking"
	8.	finish - (wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed); "the wine has a nutty flavor and a pleasant finish"gustatory perception, gustatory sensation, taste, taste perception, taste sensation - the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus; "the candy left him with a bad taste"; "the melon had a delicious taste"tasting - a small amount (especially of food or wine)
	9.	finish - the act of finishing; "his best finish in a major tournament was third"; "the speaker's finishing was greeted with applause"finishingclosing curtain, finis, close, finale - the concluding part of any performancemop up, windup, completion, culmination, closing - a concluding actioncommencement, start, beginning - the act of starting something; "he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations"
Verb	1.	finish - come or bring to a finish or an end; "He finished the dishes"; "She completed the requirements for her Master's Degree"; "The fastest runner finished the race in just over 2 hours; others finished in over 4 hours"completeclose - finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead; "The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning"terminate, end - bring to an end or halt; "She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime"; "The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I"top off, top - finish up or conclude; "They topped off their dinner with a cognac"; "top the evening with champagne"finish off, finish up, get through, polish off, wrap up, clear up, mop up - finish a task completely; "I finally got through this homework assignment"see through - remain with until completion; "I must see the job through"finish out, round out - fill out; "These studies round out the results of many years of research"follow out, follow up, put through, carry out, follow through, implement, go through - pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue; "Did he go through with the treatment?"; "He implemented a new economic plan"; "She followed up his recommendations with a written proposal"accomplish, carry out, carry through, fulfil, fulfill, action, execute - put in effect; "carry out a task"; "execute the decision of the people"; "He actioned the operation"
	2.	finish - finally be or do something; "He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart"; "he wound up being unemployed and living at home again"end up, fetch up, wind up, finish up, land upact, move - perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel"
	3.	finish - have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical; "the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed"; "Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other"; "My property ends by the bushes"; "The symphony ends in a pianissimo"end, cease, terminate, stoppass away - go out of existence; "She hoped that the problem would eventually pass away"lapse - end, at least for a long time; "The correspondence lapsed"cut out - cease operating; "The pump suddenly cut out"go out - become extinguished; "The lights suddenly went out and we were in the dark"adjourn, recess, break up - close at the end of a session; "The court adjourned"disappear, vanish - cease to exist; "An entire civilization vanished"climax, culminate - end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage; "The meeting culminated in a tearful embrace"run out - become used up; be exhausted; "Our supplies finally ran out"run low, run short, go - to be spent or finished; "The money had gone after a few days"; "Gas is running low at the gas stations in the Midwest"disappear, vanish, go away - become invisible or unnoticeable; "The effect vanished when day broke"conclude, close - come to a close; "The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin"come out, turn out - result or end; "How will the game turn out?"discontinue - come to or be at an end; "the support from our sponsoring agency will discontinue after March 31"break - come to an end; "The heat wave finally broke yesterday"
	4.	finish - provide with a finish; "The carpenter finished the table beautifully"; "this shirt is not finished properly"coat, surface - put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface; "coat the cake with chocolate"dress - put a finish on; "dress the surface smooth"broom - finish with a broom
	5.	finish - finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table; "She polished off the remaining potatoes"eat up, polish offeat - take in solid food; "She was eating a banana"; "What did you eat for dinner last night?"tuck away, tuck in, put away - eat up; usually refers to a considerable quantity of food; "My son tucked in a whole pizza"
	6.	finish - cause to finish a relationship with somebody; "That finished me with Mary"terminate, end - bring to an end or halt; "She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime"; "The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I"

finish

verb1. stop, close, complete, achieve, conclude, cease, accomplish, execute, discharge, culminate, wrap up (informal), terminate, round off, bring to a close or conclusion He was cheered when he finished his speech.
stop start, begin, create, undertake, embark on, commence, instigate2. get done, complete, put the finishing touch(es) to, finalize, do, deal with, settle, conclude, fulfil, carry through, get out of the way, make short work of They've been working to finish a report this week.3. end, stop, conclude, wind up, terminate The teaching day finished at around 4pm.4. leave, complete, quit, drop out of, pack in (informal) He had finished school and was waiting to go to university.5. consume, dispose of, devour, polish off, drink, eat, neck (slang), drain, get through, dispatch, hoover (informal), deplete He finished his dinner and left.6. use up, use, spend, empty, exhaust, expend Once you have finished all 21 pills, stop for seven days.7. coat, polish, stain, texture, wax, varnish, gild, veneer, lacquer, smooth off, face The bowl is finished in a pearlised lustre.8. (usually with off) destroy, defeat, overcome, bring down, best, worst, ruin, get rid of, dispose of, rout, put an end to, overpower, annihilate, put paid to, move in for the kill, drive to the wall, administer or give the coup de grâce I played well but I didn't finish him off.9. (usually with off) kill, murder, destroy, do in (slang), take out (slang), massacre, butcher, slaughter, dispatch, slay, eradicate, do away with, blow away (slang, chiefly U.S.), knock off (slang), annihilate, exterminate, take (someone's) life, bump off (slang) She finished him off with an axe.noun1. end, ending, close, closing, conclusion, run-in, winding up (informal), wind-up, completion, finale, termination, culmination, cessation, last stage(s), denouement, finalization I intend to see the job through to the finish.
end beginning, birth, conception, genesis, preface, inauguration, preamble, inception, prologue, commencement, instigation2. surface, appearance, polish, shine, grain, texture, glaze, veneer, lacquer, lustre, smoothness, patina The finish of the woodwork was excellent.Quotations
"To finish a work? To finish a picture? What nonsense! To finish it means to be through with it, to kill it, to rid it of its soul, to give it its final blow ... the coup de grâce for the painter as well as for the picture" [Pablo Picasso]

finish

verb1. To complete a race or competition in a specified position:come in, place, run.2. To bring or come to a natural or proper end:close, complete, conclude, consummate, end, terminate, wind up, wrap up.3. To use all of:consume, drain, draw down, eat up, exhaust, expend, play out, run through, spend, use up.Informal: polish off.4. To cause the death of.Also used with off:carry off, cut down, cut off, destroy, dispatch, kill, slay.Slang: waste, zap.Idioms: put an end to, put to sleep.5. To take the life of (a person or persons) unlawfully.Also used with off:destroy, kill, liquidate, murder, slay.Informal: put away.Slang: bump off, do in, knock off, off, rub out, waste, wipe out, zap.6. To cause the complete ruin or wreckage of:bankrupt, break down, cross up, demolish, destroy, ruin, shatter, sink, smash, spoil, torpedo, undo, wash up, wrack, wreck.Slang: total.Idiom: put the kibosh on.noun1. A concluding or terminating:cease, cessation, close, closing, closure, completion, conclusion, consummation, end, ending, end of the line, period, stop, stopping point, termination, terminus, wind-up, wrap-up.2. The last part:close, conclusion, end, ending, finale, last, termination, wind-up, wrap-up.

Translations

完成最后一段最后润饰用完结束

finish

(ˈfiniʃ) verb1. to bring or come to an end. She's finished her work; The music finished.结束2. to use, eat, drink etc the last of. Have you finished your tea? 喝、用、吃完 noun1. the last touch (of paint, polish etc) that makes the work perfect. The wood has a beautiful finish.最后润饰2. the last part (of a race etc). It was a close finish.最后一段ˈfinished adjective1. ended. Her chances of success are finished.完结了的2. (negative unfinished) done; completed. a finished product.完成的3. having been completely used, eaten etc. The food is finished – there's none left. 完成吃/用完 finish off1. to complete. She finished off the job yesterday.完成2. to use, eat etc the last of. We've finished off the cake. 吃/用完 3. to kill (a person). His last illness nearly finished him off.致...于死地finish up1. to use, eat etc the last of; to finish. Finish up your meal as quickly as possible. 吃完，用尽 2. to end. It was no surprise to me when he finished up in jail; The car finished up in the dump.结束

finish

→ 完成zhCN

When does it finish? → 几点结束？

finish

finish (something) on a high note

To finish, complete, or leave (something) at a successful, impressive, or climactic point. I know we've had quite a few losses this season, but let's win this last game and finish on a high note! After winning the Oscar, she decided to finish her career on a high note.See also: finish, high, note, on

Garrison finish

The end of a competition in which one participant comes from behind at the last minute to win. The phrase refers to US jockey Edward "Snapper" Garrison, who was known for securing such last-minute victories. That race sure had a Garrison finish—one of the runners came all the way from fifth place to win!See also: finish

ahead of schedule

Earlier than a given deadline. Since the contractor and his crew completed the renovations ahead of schedule, we were able to move into the house before winter arrived. Repaying your loan ahead of schedule will save you money in the long term by reducing the amount of interest you'll have to pay.See also: ahead, of, schedule

finish off

1. To finish the last part of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "finish" and "off." Here, take the last piece and finish off the pie. Printing is the last step in finishing off this project, thank goodness.2. To end something in a particular way. A noun or pronoun can be used between "finish" and "off." They finished off the reception with one last slow dance.3. To kill someone or something that is wounded and near death. A noun or pronoun can be used between "finish" and "off." You need to finish off the deer you've shot—don't let it suffer.See also: finish, off

be in at the finish

To be included in the ending or culmination of something. I hoped to be in at the finish of this movie shoot, but I guess the director had other plans.See also: finish

finishing touch

The last detail added or change made to something to make it complete. Let's not spend too much longer on this. Let's just put the finishing touch on it and get it ready for production. He's been putting the finishing touches on that painting for so long now, I'm starting to think he'll never be satisfied with it.See also: finish, touch

a fight to the finish

Any struggle for success (as a contest, competition, match, debate, election, argument, etc.) between two or more people that remains closely and vigorously fought until one party is defeated at the very final moment. With her opponent's sudden surge in the polls, it looks like this election is going to be a fight to the finish. It was truly a fight to the finish, with New England managing a field goal in the final seconds of the game to secure their victory.See also: fight, finish

finish up

1. To end or conclude. When do you think the dinner party will finish up? I think the caterers need the room. The concert should finish up around 11.2. To stop working on someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "finish" and "up." My 10:30 client was a cut and color so I'm just finishing her up now. The boss wants to know how much time you need to finish up the report.See also: finish, up

lick and a promise

A hasty, superficial, or careless effort. I told the intern to give the proofreading a lick and a promise, as we were supposed to have the book out weeks ago. I didn't have time to clean the entire house before my parents arrived, so I just did it with a lick and a promise.See also: and, lick, promise

nice guys finish last

Those who are overly pleasant, considerate, or deferential will not be as successful as those willing to be more ruthless. Nice guys finish last in this industry—if you aren't prepared to step on a few toes, you're never going to get anywhere.See also: finish, guy, last, nice

in at the death

1. Literally, witnessing the killing of an animal. I refuse to be in at the death of an innocent deer just because you like hunting.2. By extension, witnessing the end or collapse of something. Did you hear that Joe's proposal got rejected? Was anyone in at the death?See also: death

in at the finish

Included in the ending or culmination of something. I hoped to be in at the finish of this movie shoot, but I guess the director had other plans.See also: finish

finish with (something)

To complete something; to no longer be engaged or occupied with something. Hey, if you're finished with that magazine, can I read it? It took three years, but I'm finally finished with my thesis, thank goodness.See also: finish

from start to finish

For the entire duration; from beginning to end. Our trip was a joy from start to finish.See also: finish, start

Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.

Provide someone with that which they lack, and they will complete the task, often after others have abandoned or struggled with it. When my mother forgot about my limited budget and criticized my new apartment's lack of furniture, I simply held out my hand for money and said, "Give us the tools, and we will finish the job." Part of the building is still under construction because the company stopped funding it. Just give us the tools, and we will finish the job!See also: and, finish, give, we, will

he who begins many things finishes but few

Someone who starts many projects typically lacks the ability, energy, or interest to finish them all. A: "Did Rod actually finish his novel?" B: "Of course not. And now he's onto 10 other new projects. I guess it's true what they say—he who begins many things finishes but few."See also: begin, but, few, finish, he, many, thing, who

*ahead of schedule

Fig. having done something before the time given on a schedule or before the expected time. (*Typically: be ~; finish ~.) I want to be able to finish the job ahead of schedule.See also: ahead, of, schedule

finish (someone or an animal) off

to kill someone or an animal that is already injured or wounded. They had to finish the wounded bear off with a revolver. The hunter finished off the bear.See also: finish, off

finish someone or something off

Fig. to complete some activity being performed on someone or something. Let's finish this one off and go home. Yes, let's finish off this one. Nancy is cutting Elaine's hair. When she finishes her off, she will be ready to leave.See also: finish, off

finish someone or something up

Fig. to finish doing something to someone or something. I will finish this typing up in a few minutes. She finished up Fred in a short time.See also: finish, up

finish

(something) by doing something to bring something to a conclusion by doing something. She finished the lecture by naming her sources. Sharon finished by reading a poem.

finish something off

Fig. to eat or drink up all of something; to eat or drink up the last portion of something. Let's finish the turkey off. You finish off the turkey. I've had enough.See also: finish, off

finish (something) off (with something)

to bring something to a conclusion with something. She finished the dinner off with fancy cheeses and fruit. She finished off the dinner with pie.See also: finish, off

finish with something

to complete something; to become done with something. I will finish with fixing this soon, and then you can have it. When will this be finished with?See also: finish

finishing touch(es)

a final adjustment of something; some effort or action that completes something. Norm is in his workshop putting the finishing touches on his latest project.See also: finish, touch

from start to finish

Fig. entirely; throughout. I disliked the whole business from start to finish. Mary caused problems from start to finish.See also: finish, start

Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.

Prov. A reply to someone who wants you to do a task for which you lack the equipment. How am I supposed to wash the upstairs windows without a ladder? Give us the tools, and we will finish the job!See also: and, finish, give, job, we, will

He who begins many things, finishes but few.

Prov. If you start a lot of projects, you will not have time and energy to complete them all. (Can be used to warn someone against starting too many projects.) Sarah's room is littered with sweaters and mittens she started to knit but never finished, a testament to the fact that she who begins many things, finishes but few.See also: begin, but, few, finish, he, many, who

*lick and a promise

Fig. a hasty bit of work; a quick once-over. (*Typically: finish something with ~; give something ~.) I was pressed for time, so I just gave the housework a lick and a promise. Mary spent so much time on her history paper that she had to finish her math homework with a lick and a promise.See also: and, lick, promise

Nice guys finish last.

Prov. You will never be able to get what you want by being kind and considerate. The unscrupulous salesman advised his trainees, "Don't worry if you have to lie about the product to get the customer to buy it. Nice guys finish last."See also: finish, guy, last, nice

finishing touch

A small change or addition that serves to complete something. For example, The room still needed a few finishing touches, such as a flower arrangement. This expression is sometimes put as a finishing stroke. [c. 1700] See also: finish, touch

from soup to nuts

Also, from A to Z or start to finish or stem to stern . From beginning to end, throughout, as in We went through the whole agenda, from soup to nuts, or She had to learn a whole new system from A to Z, or It rained from start to finish, or We did over the whole house from stem to stern. The first expression, with its analogy to the first and last courses of a meal, appeared in slightly different forms (such as from potage to cheese) from the 1500s on; the precise wording here dates only from the mid-1900s. The second expression alludes to the first and last letters of the Roman alphabet; see also alpha and omega. The third comes from racing and alludes to the entire course of the race; it dates from the mid-1800s. The last variant is nautical, alluding to the front or stem, and rear or stern, of a vessel. See also: nuts, soup

in at the death

Also, in at the finish or kill . Involved in or present at the end, especially a disastrous end but sometimes merely the climax of an important event. For example, He had a hand in their breakup, but he didn't want to be in at the death, or They've done really well this year, and we want to be in at the kill. These expressions originally alluded to hunters and hounds being present at the death of a fox they had run to ground. [First half of 1700s] See also: death

nice guys finish last

AMERICANPeople say nice guys finish last to mean that people who behave in a fair and pleasant way will not be successful in a competitive situation. Our culture rewards aggressive types — after all, we all know nice guys finish last.See also: finish, guy, last, nice

a fight to the finish

a fight, contest, or match which only ends with the complete defeat of one of the parties involved.See also: fight, finish

from soup to nuts

from beginning to end; completely. North American informal Soup is likely to feature as the first course of a formal meal, while a selection of nuts may be offered as the final one.See also: nuts, soup

be in at the ˈfinish

be present when something ends: I was one of the first people on this project and I certainly want to be in at the finish.See also: finish

the finishing ˈtouch(es)

the final details that make something complete: We’ve been putting the finishing touches to the party decorations.See also: finish, touch

from ˌsoup to ˈnuts

(American English, informal) from beginning to end: She told me the whole story from soup to nuts.This refers to a long meal that often begins with soup and ends with nuts.See also: nuts, soup

finish off

v.1. To complete the last part of a task or process: The staff finished off the final items on the agenda and ended the meeting. The crew finished the cleaning tasks off before leaving for the day.2. To consume the last part of something, such as food or a resource: I finished off that last piece of bread. We finished the cake off.3. To finish something in a particular way: We finished off the hot day with one final swim. The teacher finished the semester off with a big party.See also: finish, off

finish up

v.1. To conclude something; bring something to an end: We finished up dinner and took the dirty dishes to the kitchen. The council finished the meeting up by stating when the next meeting would occur. 2. To conclude; end: The meeting finished up at 11:00. Finish up reading your book, already—it's late!See also: finish, up

lick and a promise

A superficial effort made without care or enthusiasm.See also: and, lick, promise

finishing touch(es)

The final stroke(s) that ensure completion or perfection. The term is derived from painting, that is, the last stroke of the artist’s brush, and was soon transferred to any creative effort, ranging from cake-baking to assembling a costume. Its earliest appearance in print dates from the mid-eighteenth century, and Eric Partridge concluded it became a cliché within a hundred years. See also: finish

from soup to nuts

From the beginning to the end; the whole thing. The analogy to a complete meal of numerous courses dates back many years. John Heywood’s proverb collection of 1546 has it “from potage to cheese,” and John Clarke’s 1639 collection, “from th’egges to th’apples.” The precise locution of soup to nuts appears to be American and dates only from the early twentieth century. A very similar cliché, from start to finish, comes from sports, particularly rowing races. The earliest example in print, according to the OED, dates from a sports publication of 1868. This cliché is more common in Britain, where finish is used as a noun more often than it is in America. See also alpha and omega; from the word go.See also: nuts, soup

in at the death/finish

Present at the end, usually meaning at someone’s ruin, but sometimes only at the climax of an important event. The term comes from fox hunting, where, in the eighteenth century, it denoted the presence of hunters and hounds at the killing of a fox they had run to ground. By 1800 the term was being transferred to other kinds of demise. See also: death, finish

lick and a promise

A superficial effort. Rather than wash themselves thoroughly to their parents' satisfaction, youngsters who were in a rush would splash on a little water and say they'd do a better job later. The phrase was extended to apply to any fast and incomplete job.See also: and, lick, promise

finish

fin·ish

finish

fin•ish

finish

finish

finish

finish

finish

finish

finish

finish (something) on a high note

Garrison finish

ahead of schedule

finish off

be in at the finish

finishing touch

a fight to the finish

finish up

lick and a promise

nice guys finish last

in at the death

in at the finish

finish with (something)

from start to finish

Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.

he who begins many things finishes but few

*ahead of schedule

finish (someone or an animal) off

finish someone or something off

finish someone or something up

finish

finish something off

finish (something) off (with something)

finish with something

finishing touch(es)

from start to finish

Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.

He who begins many things, finishes but few.

*lick and a promise

Nice guys finish last.

finishing touch

from soup to nuts

in at the death

nice guys finish last

a fight to the finish

from soup to nuts

be in at the ˈfinish

the finishing ˈtouch(es)

from ˌsoup to ˈnuts

finish off

finish up

lick and a promise

finishing touch(es)

from soup to nuts

in at the death/finish

lick and a promise

finish

finish

Finish

finish

finish

Finish

Finish

Finish

finish

Synonyms for finish

verb stop

Synonyms

Antonyms

verb get done

Synonyms

verb end

Synonyms

verb leave

Synonyms

verb consume

Synonyms

verb use up

Synonyms