ˈfɪnɪʃ v. & n. --v. 1 tr. a (often foll. by off)
bring to an
end;
come to
the end
of;
complete. b (usu. foll. by off) colloq.
kill;
overcome completely. c (often foll. by
off, up)
consume or
get through the
whole or the
remainder of (food or drink) (finish up
your dinner). 2 intr. a come to an end,
cease. b
reach the end,
esp. of a race. c = finish
up. 3 tr. a complete the
manufacture of (cloth,
woodwork, etc.) by
surface treatment. b put the
final touches
to;
make perfect or
highly accomplished (finished manners). c
prepare (a girl)
for entry into fashionable society. --n. 1 a the end, the last
stage. b the
point at
which a race etc. ends. c the
death of a
fox in a
hunt (be in at the finish). 2 a
method,
material, or
texture used for surface treatment of
wood,
cloth, etc. (mahogany finish). 3
what serves to
give completeness. 4 an accomplished or completed
state. øfight to a finish
fight till
one party is completely
beaten. finishing-school a
private college where girls are prepared for entry into fashionable society. finish off
provide with an
ending. finish up (often foll. by
in, by) end in
something, end by
doing something (he finished up last in the race; the
plan finished up in the waste-paper
basket; finished up by apologizing). finish with
have no
more to do with, complete one's
use of or
association with. [ME f. OF fenir f. L finire f.
finis end]