Nearby Words
Synonyms
noun
1.
the last part or extremity, lengthwise, of anything that is longer than it is wide or broad: the end of a street; the end of a rope.
2.
a point, line, or limitation that indicates the full extent, degree, etc., of something; limit; bounds: kindness without end; to walk from end to end of a city.
3.
a part or place at or adjacent to an extremity: at the end of the table; the west end of town.
4.
the furthermost imaginable place or point: an island at the very end of the world.
5.
EXPANDtermination; conclusion: The journey was coming to an end.
6.
the concluding part: The end of her speech had to be cut short because of time.
7.
an intention or aim: to gain one's ends.
8.
9.
an outcome or result: What is to be the end of all this bickering?
10.
termination of existence; death: He met a horrible end.
11.
a cause of death, destruction, or ruin: Another war would be the end of civilization.
12.
a remnant or fragment: mill end; ends and trimmings.
13.
a share or part in something: He does his end of the job very well.
14.
Textiles. a warp thread running vertically and interlaced with the filling yarn in the woven fabric.
15.
Football.
a.
either of the linemen stationed farthest from the center.
b.
the position played by this lineman.
16.
Archery. the number of arrows to be shot by a competitor during one turn in a match.
17.
Cricket. a wicket, especially the one where the batsman is taking a turn.
18.
a unit of a game, as in curling or lawn bowling.
19.
Kantianism. any rational being, regarded as worthy to exist for its own sake.
20.
either half of a domino.
21.
Knots. the part of a rope, beyond a knot or the like, that is not used.
22.
COLLAPSEthe end, Slang. the ultimate; the utmost of good or bad: His stupidity is the end.
verb (used with object)
23.
to bring to an end or conclusion: We ended the discussion on a note of optimism.
24.
to put an end to; terminate: This was the battle that ended the war.
25.
to form the end of: This passage ends the novel.
26.
to cause the demise of; kill: A bullet through the heart ended him.
27.
to constitute the most outstanding or greatest possible example or instance of (usually used in the infinitive): You just committed the blunder to end all blunders.
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At loose ends
is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
verb (used without object)
28.
to come to an end; terminate; cease: The road ends at Rome.
29.
to issue or result: Extravagance ends in want.
30.
to reach or arrive at a final condition, circumstance, or goal (often followed by up): to end up in the army; to end as a happy person.
adjective
Idioms31.
final or ultimate: the end result.
32.
at loose ends, without an occupation or plans; unsettled; uncertain: He spent two years wandering about the country at loose ends.
33.
at one's wit's end, at the end of one's ideas or mental resources; perplexed: I'm at my wit's end with this problem. Also, at one's wits' end.
34.
end for end, in reverse position; inverted: The cartons were turned end for end.
35.
end on, with the end next to or facing: He backed the truck until it was end on with the loading platform.
36.
EXPANDend to end, in a row with ends touching: The pipes were placed end to end on the ground.
37.
go off the deep end, Informal. to act in a reckless or agitated manner; lose emotional control: She went off the deep end when she lost her job.
38.
in the end, finally; after all: In the end they shook hands and made up.
39.
keep/hold one's end up, to perform one's part or share adequately: The work is demanding, but he's holding his end up.
40.
make an end of, to conclude; stop: Let's make an end of this foolishness and get down to work.
41.
make ends meet, to live within one's means: Despite her meager income, she tried to make ends meet. Also, make both ends meet.
42.
no end, Informal. very much or many: They were pleased no end by the warm reception.
43.
on end,
a.
having the end down; upright: to stand a box on end.
b.
continuously; successively: They talked for hours on end.
44.
COLLAPSEput an end to, to cause to stop; terminate; finish: The advent of sound in motion pictures put an end to many a silent star's career.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English, Old English ende; cognate with Old Frisian enda, Middle Dutch e(i)nde, Old Saxon endi, Old High German anti, G Ende, Old Norse endi(r), Gothic andeis end < Germanic *anthjá-; akin to Sanskrit ánta- end
before 900; Middle English, Old English ende; cognate with Old Frisian enda, Middle Dutch e(i)nde, Old Saxon endi, Old High German anti, G Ende, Old Norse endi(r), Gothic andeis end < Germanic *anthjá-; akin to Sanskrit ánta- end
Related forms
end·er, noun
Synonyms
4. tip, bound, limit, terminus. 5. End, close, conclusion, finish, outcome refer to the termination of something. End implies a natural termination or completion, or an attainment of purpose: the end of a day, of a race; to some good end. Close often implies a planned rounding off of something in process: the close of a conference. Conclusion suggests a decision or arrangement: All evidence leads to this conclusion; the conclusion of peace terms. Finish emphasizes completion of something begun: a fight to the finish. Outcome suggests the issue of something that was in doubt: the outcome of a game. 7. See aim.
4. tip, bound, limit, terminus. 5. End, close, conclusion, finish, outcome refer to the termination of something. End implies a natural termination or completion, or an attainment of purpose: the end of a day, of a race; to some good end. Close often implies a planned rounding off of something in process: the close of a conference. Conclusion suggests a decision or arrangement: All evidence leads to this conclusion; the conclusion of peace terms. Finish emphasizes completion of something begun: a fight to the finish. Outcome suggests the issue of something that was in doubt: the outcome of a game. 7. See aim.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
loose end
noun
Idiom1.
a part or piece left hanging, unattached, or unused: Remind me to tack down that loose end on the stairway carpet.
2.
an unsettled detail, as of a business matter: The arrangements have been made, except for a few loose ends.
3.
at loose ends, in an uncertain or unsettled situation or position: Ever since leaving the company, he's been at loose ends. Also, at a loose end.
Origin:
1540–50
1540–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To at loose ends
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
end
O.E. ende, from P.Gmc. *andja (cf. O.Fris. enda, O.N. endir, O.H.G. enti), originally "the opposite side," from PIE *antjo "end, boundary," from base anta-/*anti- "opposite, in front of, before" (see ante). Original sense of "outermost part" is obsolete except in phrase ends
EXPANDof the earth. Sense of "destruction, death" was in O.E. Meaning "division or quarter of a town" was in O.E. The verb is from O.E. endian. The end "the last straw, the limit" (in a disparaging sense) is from 1929. The phrase end run is first attested 1902 in U.S. football; extended to military tactics in World War II; general fig. sense is from 1968. End time in ref. to the end of the world is from 1917. Be-all and end-all is from Shakespeare ("Macbeth" I.vii.5).
COLLAPSE
"Worldly wealth he cared not for, desiring onely to make both ends meet." [1662]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
at loose ends definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
at loose ends
In an unsettled or uncertain situation. For example, This whole visit has left me feeling restless, constantly at loose ends, or Jane couldn't find a job this year and so is at loose ends for the summer. [Mid-1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
