FINISH

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does finish mean? 

• FINISH (noun)
  The noun FINISH has 9 senses:

1. a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)

2. the temporal end; the concluding time

3. a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

4. the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)

5. designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race)

6. the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict)

7. event whose occurrence ends something

8. (wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed)

9. the act of finishing

  Familiarity information: FINISH used as a noun is familiar.

• FINISH (verb)
  The verb FINISH has 6 senses:

1. come or bring to a finish or an end

2. finally be or do something

3. have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical

4. provide with a finish

5. finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table

6. cause to finish a relationship with somebody

  Familiarity information: FINISH used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FINISH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

coating; finish; finishing

Context example:

when the finish is too thin it is difficult to apply evenly

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

decorativeness (an appearance that serves to decorate and make something more attractive)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finish"):

glaze (a coating for ceramics, metal, etc.)

shoeshine (a shiny finish put on shoes with polish and buffing)

Derivation:

finish (provide with a finish)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The temporal end; the concluding time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

close; conclusion; finale; finis; finish; last; stopping point

Context example:

they were playing better at the close of the season

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

end; ending (the point in time at which something ends)

Derivation:

finish (cause to finish a relationship with somebody)

finish (come or bring to a finish or an end)

finish (have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

cultivation; culture; finish; polish; refinement

Context example:

almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

flawlessness; ne plus ultra; perfection (the state of being without a flaw or defect)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

destination; finish; goal

Context example:

he was nearly exhausted as their destination came into view

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

end; terminal (either extremity of something that has length)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finish"):

finish line; finishing line (a line indicating the location of the finish of a race)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the winner is the team with the most points at the finish

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finish"):

draw; standoff; tie (the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided)

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 finishing)

runner-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))

Sense 6

Meaning:

The downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

it was a fight to the finish

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

downfall; ruin; ruination (failure that results in a loss of position or reputation)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Event whose occurrence ends something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

conclusion; ending; finish

Context example:

when these final episodes are broadcast it will be the finish of the show

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finish"):

end; last (the final stage or concluding parts of an event or occurrence)

defeat; licking (an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest)

triumph; victory (a successful ending of a struggle or contest)

halt; stop (the event of something ending)

omega; Z (the ending of a series or sequence)

demolition; destruction; wipeout (an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something)

foregone conclusion; matter of course (an inevitable ending)

final result; outcome; result; resultant; termination (something that results)

Derivation:

finish (cause to finish a relationship with somebody)

finish (come or bring to a finish or an end)

finish (have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical)

Sense 8

Meaning:

(wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

the wine has a nutty flavor and a pleasant finish

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

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)

Domain category:

tasting (a small amount (especially of food or wine))

Sense 9

Meaning:

The act of finishing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

finish; finishing

Context example:

the speaker's finishing was greeted with applause

Hypernyms ("finish" is a kind of...):

closing; completion; culmination; mop up; windup (a concluding action)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "finish"):

close; closing curtain; finale; finis (the concluding part of any performance)

Antonym:

start (the act of starting something)

Derivation:

finish (have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical)

finish (come or bring to a finish or an end)

• FINISH (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come or bring to a finish or an end

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

complete; finish

Context example:

The fastest runner finished the race in just over 2 hours; others finished in over 4 hours

Hypernyms (to "finish" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "finish"):

accomplish; action; carry out; carry through; execute; fulfil; fulfill (put in effect)

carry out; follow out; follow through; follow up; go through with; implement; put through (pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue)

finish out; round out (fill out)

clear up; finish off; finish up; get through; mop up; polish off; wrap up (finish a task completely)

top; top off (finish up or conclude)

close (finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead)

see through (remain with until completion)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sentence example:

They finish moving

Derivation:

finish; finishing (the act of finishing)

finisher ((baseball) a relief pitcher who can protect a lead in the last inning or two of the game)

finish (the temporal end; the concluding time)

finish (event whose occurrence ends something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Finally be or do something

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

end up; fetch up; finish; finish up; land up; wind up

Context example:

he wound up being unemployed and living at home again

Hypernyms (to "finish" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sense 3

Meaning:

Have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

cease; end; finish; stop; terminate

Context example:

The symphony ends in a pianissimo

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "finish"):

break (come to an end)

discontinue (come to or be at an end)

come out; turn out (result or end)

close; conclude (come to a close)

disappear; go away; vanish (become invisible or unnoticeable)

go; run low; run short (to be spent or finished)

run out (become used up; be exhausted)

climax; culminate (end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage)

disappear; vanish (cease to exist)

adjourn; break up; recess (close at the end of a session)

go out (become extinguished)

cut out (cease operating)

lapse (end, at least for a long time)

pass away (go out of existence)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

finish (the act of finishing)

finish (event whose occurrence ends something)

finish (the temporal end; the concluding time)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Provide with a finish

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

this shirt is not finished properly

Hypernyms (to "finish" is one way to...):

coat; surface (put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "finish"):

dress (put a finish on)

broom (finish with a broom)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

finish (a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance))

finisher (a worker who performs the last step in a manufacturing process)

finisher (a painter who applies a finishing coat)

finishing (a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

eat up; finish; polish off

Context example:

She polished off the remaining potatoes

Hypernyms (to "finish" is one way to...):

eat (take in solid food)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "finish"):

put away; tuck away; tuck in (eat up; usually refers to a considerable quantity of food)

consume; demolish; devour; down; go through (eat up completely, as with great appetite)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They finish more bread

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cause to finish a relationship with somebody

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

That finished me with Mary

Hypernyms (to "finish" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

finish (event whose occurrence ends something)

finish (the temporal end; the concluding time)

 Context examples 

And as he had now finished his operation, he adjusted the pillow to the patient's head.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Accordingly, when he had finished his supper, they all went up together to his room and looked through his maps, but the castle was not to be found.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

And all the while the silent and wolfish circle waited to finish off whichever dog went down.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity completed its first Red Planet distance on March 24, 2015 - 42.195 kilometers - with a finish time of roughly 11 years and two months.

(Opportunity Mars Rover Passes Marathon Distance, NASA)

We gave him three times three, and another, and a good one to finish with.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

When I finished, he had me read it over a second time, and a third.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Kosgei was joined by Paula Radcliffe at the finish line.

(Kenya's Brigid Kosgei sets new world record at Chicago Marathon, Wikinews)

That night, when supper was finished and they sat on the oblong box and pulled at their pipes, the circle of gleaming eyes drew in even closer than before.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Meg and John happened to be standing together in the middle of the grass plot, when Laurie was seized with an inspiration which put the finishing touch to this unfashionable wedding.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The period of time from start to finish of an exposure.

(Exposure Duration, NCI Thesaurus)