to bring (something) to an end or to completion; complete: to finish a novel; to finish breakfast.
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; to finish off the rest of the milk.
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): He decided to finish his plan more carefully. She finished up a painting.
6.
to put a finish on (wood, metal, etc.): We finished the desk in antique red lacquer.
7.
to perfect (a person) in education, accomplishments, social graces, etc.
8.
to ready (livestock) for market by feeding a diet calculated to produce the desired weight.
–verb (used without object)
9.
to come to an end: The course finishes in January.
10.
to complete a course, project, etc. (sometimes fol. by up): I finished before he did. It was nine o'clock when we finished up.
11.
(of livestock) to become fattened for market.
–noun
12.
the end or conclusion; the final part or last stage.
13.
the end of a hunt, race, etc.: a close finish.
14.
a decisive ending: a fight to the finish.
15.
the quality of being finished or completed with smoothness, elegance, etc.: to admire the finish of one's writing.
16.
educational or social polish.
17.
the manner in which an object is perfected or finished in its preparation, or an effect imparted in finishing.
18.
the surface coating or texture of wood, metal, etc.
19.
something used or serving to finish, complete, or perfect a thing.
20.
woodwork or the like, esp. in the interior of a building, not essential to the structure but used for purposes of ornament, neatness, etc.: a finish of black walnut.
21.
Also called finish coat, finishing coat.a final coat of plaster or paint.
22.
a material for application in finishing.
23.
Animal Husbandry. the fat tissue of livestock.
24.
the flavor remaining in the mouth after a wine has been swallowed.
—Verb phrase
25.
finish with,
a.
to bring to completion: She's finished with her latest novel.
b.
to put aside, break all relations with, or reject finally: He's finished with football and will play only baseball now. After the way they treated us, we're finished with them.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME finisshen < AF, MF finiss-, long s. of finir < L fīnīre to end. See fine1]
c.1350, from O.Fr. finiss-, stem of finir, from L. finire "to limit, set bounds, end," from finis "boundary, limit, border, end," of unknown origin, perhaps related to figere "to fasten, fix" (see fix). The noun is first attested 1790. Finishing school is from 1836.
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" [syn: coating]
2.
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" [syn: stopping point]
3.
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 Conrad [syn: polish]
4.
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"
5.
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"
6.
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"
7.
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" [syn: ending] [ant: beginning]
8.
(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"
9.
the act of finishing; "his best finish in a major tournament was third"; "the speaker's finishing was greeted with applause" [ant: beginning]
verb
1.
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" [syn: complete]
2.
finally be or do something; "He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart"; "he wound up being unemployed and living at home again" [syn: finish up]
3.
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" [syn: end] [ant: begin]
4.
provide with a finish; "The carpenter finished the table beautifully"; "this shirt is not finished properly"
5.
finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table; "She polished off the remaining potatoes" [syn: eat up]
6.
cause to finish a relationship with somebody; "That finished me with Mary"
A*bash"\ ([.a]*b[a^]sh"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abashed ([.a]*b[a^]sht"); p. pr. & vb. n. Abashing.] [OE. abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, OF. esbahir, F. ['e]bahir, to astonish, fr. L. ex + the interjection bah, expressing astonishment. In OE. somewhat confused with abase. Cf. Finish.] To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit. Abashed, the devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is. --Milton. He was a man whom no check could abash. --Macaulay. Syn: To confuse; confound; disconcert; shame. Usage: To Abash, Confuse, Confound. Abash is a stronger word than confuse, but not so strong as confound. We are abashed when struck either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as, Peter was abashed by the look of his Master. So a modest youth is abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his superiors. We are confused when, from some unexpected or startling occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self-possession. Thus, a witness is often confused by a severe cross-examination; a timid person is apt to be confused in entering a room full of strangers. We are confounded when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually confounded at the discovery of his guilt. Satan stood Awhile as mute, confounded what to say. --Milton.
A*bol"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Abolished; p. pr. & vb. n. Abolishing.] [F. abolir, L. abolere, aboletum; ab + olere to grow. Cf. Finish.]1. To do away with wholly; to annul; to make void; -- said of laws, customs, institutions, governments, etc.; as, to abolish slavery, to abolish folly. 2. To put an end to, or destroy, as a physical objects; to wipe out. [Archaic] And with thy blood abolish so reproachful blot. --Spenser. His quick instinctive hand Caught at the hilt, as to abolish him. --Tennyson. Syn: To Abolish, Repeal, Abrogate, Revoke, Annul, Nullify, Cancel. Usage: These words have in common the idea of setting aside by some overruling act. Abolish applies particularly to things of a permanent nature, such as institutions, usages, customs, etc.; as, to abolish monopolies, serfdom, slavery. Repeal describes the act by which the legislature of a state sets aside a law which it had previously enacted. Abrogate was originally applied to the repeal of a law by the Roman people; and hence, when the power of making laws was usurped by the emperors, the term was applied to their act of setting aside the laws. Thus it came to express that act by which a sovereign or an executive government sets aside laws, ordinances, regulations, treaties, conventions, etc. Revoke denotes the act of recalling some previous grant which conferred, privilege, etc.; as, to revoke a decree, to revoke a power of attorney, a promise, etc. Thus, also, we speak of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Annul is used in a more general sense, denoting simply to make void; as, to annul a contract, to annul an agreement. Nullify is an old word revived in this country, and applied to the setting of things aside either by force or by total disregard; as, to nullify an act of Congress. Cancel is to strike out or annul, by a deliberate exercise of power, something which has operative force.
Ac*com"plish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accomplished, p. pr. & vb. n. Accomplishing.] [OE. acomplissen, OF. accomplir, F. accomplir; L. ad + complere to fill up, complete. See Complete, Finish.]1. To complete, as time or distance. That He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. --Dan. ix. 2. He had accomplished half a league or more. --Prescott. 2. To bring to an issue of full success; to effect; to perform; to execute fully; to fulfill; as, to accomplish a design, an object, a promise. This that is written must yet be accomplished in me. --Luke xxii. 37. 3. To equip or furnish thoroughly; hence, to complete in acquirements; to render accomplished; to polish. The armorers accomplishing the knights. --Shak. It [the moon] is fully accomplished for all those ends to which Providence did appoint it. --Wilkins. These qualities . . . go to accomplish a perfect woman. --Cowden Clarke. 4. To gain; to obtain. [Obs.] --Shak. Syn: To do; perform; fulfill; realize; effect; effectuate; complete; consummate; execute; achieve; perfect; equip; furnish. Usage: To Accomplish, Effect, Execute, Achieve, Perform. These words agree in the general idea of carrying out to some end proposed. To accomplish (to fill up to the measure of the intention) generally implies perseverance and skill; as, to accomplish a plan proposed by one's self, an object, a design, an undertaking. "Thou shalt accomplish my desire." --1 Kings v. 9. He . . . expressed his desire to see a union accomplished between England and Scotland. --Macaulay. To effect (to work out) is much like accomplish. It usually implies some degree of difficulty contended with; as, he effected or accomplished what he intended, his purpose, but little. "What he decreed, he effected." --Milton. To work in close design by fraud or guile What force effected not. --Milton. To execute (to follow out to the end, to carry out, or into effect) implies a set mode of operation; as, to execute the laws or the orders of another; to execute a work, a purpose, design, plan, project. To perform is much like to do, though less generally applied. It conveys a notion of protracted and methodical effort; as, to perform a mission, a part, a task, a work. "Thou canst best perform that office." --Milton. The Saints, like stars, around his seat Perform their courses still. --Keble. To achieve (to come to the end or arrive at one's purpose) usually implies some enterprise or undertaking of importance, difficulty, and excellence.
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